The Other Daughter
by AxleBoost
Summary: A warrior princess born into leadership, two worlds divide her, yet she has no idea. One day, that will all change in the blink of an eye.
1. Chapter 1

The seams were frayed.

A rosy-cheeked little girl focused intently on her doll, making playful noises as she moved it across the floor of a large cabin. She paid no attention to the places where it had started to come apart, until finally, it caught on a splinter of wood. Out spewed its cotton filling, and with it, her overflow of tears.

"What is it, Ruby?" her father asked, rushing over to her from across the room, eyes wild with concern. "Don't worry, daddy's here. What happened?"

One look at the doll was more than enough explanation. Its hollowed-out exterior lay on the cabin floor, nearly unrecognizable now.

"Oh."

Taiyang Xiao Long scooped his daughter up, holding her close. "Don't cry. I forgot. I'm sorry."

_Summer's not here to sew it up anymore._

He carried Ruby over to his desk and sat her on the floor next to him, returning to his work. There were papers to grade. Her playtime would have to wait. Immediately met with wails of protest, he stalked across the room to grab the destroyed doll, hiding it in another room out of view.

"Don't worry," he said softly, raising a hand to shush her. "I'll make it good as new for you once I'm done here. Uncle Qrow will be here soon to take you into town for a bit."

Scrutinizing him with her cherubic, yet surprisingly aware face, the girl deemed his words sufficient and quieted down. Out of view of Ruby, Taiyang rubbed his temples and sighed, his chest heaving as he attempted to expel all of his stress and painful solitude in one breath. He dared to inhale again, irritating the gradually increasing throb of pain lodged in his throat. Allowing himself one moment of weakness, he put it away, deep in the depths of his mind. Ruby could never see him cry. Her father was all she had now.

Wiping his eyes, Tai reached for the next student's test paper and snatched up his trusty pen. His eyes glazed over as he traced its fractured handle. The thing was falling apart. Still, nothing else would do. After all, it once belonged to her. He wrote on, sprinkling each page with note after note. Then came that fateful knock at the door which promised him at least half an hour of relief from duty. No matter the depths of his love, caring for Ruby alone was a struggle unrivaled by even the strongest Grimm horde.

* * *

"Over here!" Yang shouted through the densely packed trees, not caring if they heard her, too. They would be dust soon.

Several of her tribemates came bursting through the bushes from either side. They stood with her, facing down a large Ursa, their guns at the ready.

"Surround it," commanded her mother's voice from somewhere in the distance. A few more members of the tribe appeared, encircling the enemy.

First, there was only the sound of something moving in the branches above. Then Yang saw her. Raven sat poised on one knee, her monstrous mask donned. She was perched at the top of the tree directly behind their prey. Had she flown up there? Usually Yang didn't miss things like that. Maybe she was having an off day.

The Ursa snarled, looking from one direction to the other, debating which of its foes was the greatest threat. Amused by its ignorance, Yang chuckled while she brandished her tantō. She slid one leg backward, leaving a deep track in the dirt. The creature's oil-black skin and skeletal plating gleamed in the warm sunlight. Rearing back, it crouched. Apparently, it had finally made its choice regarding whom to sink its large, jagged teeth into.

"How many?" Raven asked.

"Two more!"

Darting forward as she fed the vital piece of tactical information to her mother, Yang dove to the side opposite the Ursa's ferocious slash, checking its blind spot with her short sword. When it followed up with a second swipe, she was already ducking to shred its nearest leg. The monster roared in a twisted mixture of fury and agony, unable to prevent a jaw-first crash landing.

"Fire!" Yang ordered, backflipping aside before several rounds of gunfire erased the incapacitated Grimm from existence.

"Nice work, Princess," said one of the tribesmen, raising a fist in triumph.

Giving him a nod of acknowledgement, Yang cracked her neck, then moved on to arm and leg stretches. She needed to stay nimble until every target was eliminated. He approached, pointing a gun in the direction of a rustling noise. Something beyond the treeline was fast closing in.

"Do you have the shot, Shay?" Yang asked, rising to support him if needed. Hearing his grunt of confirmation, she glanced toward the spot where Raven was: rather, where she used to be.

A single, loud pop rang out. Yang turned around just in time to see a plume of black miasma evaporating into the air. Shay wasn't the sharpest knife in the set, but she hadn't seen him miss a shot in all of her 17 years. Now was no different.

In a clearing up ahead, Raven dashed onto the scene and cleaved the third Ursa in two.

"That's all of them," said another tribe member.

Yang wiped the sweat from her forehead and smiled. Being the tribe leader's daughter left her with big shoes to fill, but it was small victories like these that made everything worthwhile.

"All in a day's work," she said, running to meet up with her mother. Raven headed in the group's direction, a blank expression on her face.

"You've grown, Yang," she noted when they were within earshot of one another. Yang fell into step beside her, sheathing her tantō.

"Thank you," Yang replied, holding back the urge to smile. Success was expected in the Branwen Tribe, not celebrated.

"How much did we find?" Raven asked the tribe members, her unwavering gaze falling on Shay.

"Enough for three days, if we ration," he admitted, looking at the ground. "Apologies, ma'am."

Raven clicked her tongue and stalked away, standing alone in silence. Yang considered joining her, but thought better of it when her mother drummed her fingers across her sheath. That was never a good sign. Several tense moments later, she shook her head.

"It's not enough, but we'll manage." An audible collective sigh escaped from the other tribe members, with the exclusion of Yang. "How far 'till the next village?"

"At least a day, ma'am," a woman responded, resting the head of her axe in the dirt.

"Then we spend the night here, take time to rest, and press on tomorrow. Make sure you make the most of this time, because there won't be any more breaks until we reach somewhere with fresh water."

"Ma'am!" the group shouted, saluting in unison.

They walked back to the temporary encampment in silence. The sky was blanketed in darkness by the time they returned, and stars danced like defiant sparks of hope against the blackness of night. Yang looked from one nailed-down tent to another, wondering how much longer they would have to live like this. Always on the move, and taking from others in order to survive. The faces of the terrified villagers she'd seen only minutes beforehand flashed through her mind. Men, women, and children alike fled from the flood of Grimm she and her tribe steadily pushed their way. Grimacing, Yang forced the intrusive thoughts away. There was no time for softness. In her mother's words, the weak died, and the strong lived. Those were, and would always be, the rules.

"Yang," Raven said without turning around, "with me."

She peeled off from the main procession without waiting for a response. Yang slipped past the others and walked briskly toward the largest tent, positioned at the center of their camp. The place she called home. It may not have had a solid foundation, like the homes of the many villages they raided, but it belonged to her. To mother. To the tribe. No outsiders could take it from them - not if they were strong.

"Help me undo this, please," Raven said, casting aside her mask and nodding toward one of her shoulder pads.

Yang stepped farther into the tent, absently wondering where Miss Vernal was at this time of night. She undid the loops on Raven's right shoulder pad, and then the next, systematically removing the rest of the blood-red armor pieces. She didn't assist with this as often as Raven's right hand, but she was familiar enough that the process went fairly quickly, and without a single word or cautionary glare from her mother. When she was done, she waited by the entrance. Ordinarily, she would go and change out of her gear in the communal tent, but her mother clearly wanted to discuss something.

Silence permeated the tent. Raven busied herself with something hidden behind a paper divider, rifling through her personal belongings. Yang spun her blade to pass the time, nearly dropping it when Raven called her name.

"Yang."

"Yes, Mom?" Yang asked, watching Raven's silhouette swaying behind the curtain as she undressed and put on her night clothes.

"Do you care about the Branwen Tribe?"

Yang stood, stunned, for a long moment before stammering out her reply. "O-Of course I do! I'm next in line to lead us, just the way you've taught me."

"Good. Because I'm going to share something very important with you, and I need to know that nothing will change."

Breathing became a chore for Yang. Every muscle in her body grew tense. Sure, she figured that whatever her mother wanted to say to her must have been important if she bothered to call her in for a private chat, without waiting for her to get out of her gear. Still, this was strange and unusual, even for Raven.

Her mother finally emerged, dressed down to a silk nightgown and black sandals. The gown, too, was something that once belonged to someone in a village they long since left behind. It looked good on her. While Yang wasn't entirely sure what happened to the woman it used to belong to, the crimson stain on the steps of her home had been enough to convince her that she was no longer around to miss it.

The young princess stood at attention and nodded, ignoring her mounting sense of unease. "You have my word, mom."

"Good."

Raven faltered, her expression softening for just an instant, but long enough to give Yang pause. She couldn't for the life of her remember a time when she'd seen that look on her mother's face. In fact, she almost disregarded what she saw. She would have, if not for Raven's next move. Her mother drew into herself, breaking eye contact with Yang, and tossed a small object her way. The golden locket bounced once, landing directly at her feet.

"You are Yang Branwen, Heiress to the Branwen Tribe."

Raven frowned down at the locket as Yang bent to pick it up.

"But that isn't all you are."

Yang forgot how to breathe, eyes fixated on the unfamiliar trinket. Her fingers curiously rubbed the casing, then fumbled at its latch. She gingerly clicked open the mechanism and feasted her eyes on the mysterious locket's contents.

First, she saw her mother's smiling face. Another unusual, but slightly less unheard of, phenomenon than the expression she now wore. Beside Raven was a much younger version of herself. Finally, a third person's face stared back at Yang. A man with bright blond hair, much like her own. If that wasn't enough, the other side of the locket displayed a fourth person's face. A girl with a warm smile, and dark hair with streaks of red. Whoever she was, the girl looked to be about her age.

Yang gasped, nearly dropping the photos. "What...what is this?"

"That man, Yang, is your father. His name is Taiyang Xiao Long."

"And the girl?" Yang choked out, knees trembling as she spoke. She looked up at Raven in disbelief. Her mother refused to lock eyes with her.

"She's your younger sister, Ruby Rose."


	2. Chapter 2

Their conversation was about as dry as the bread he left half-eaten on a tiny plate beside his wine glass. He lifted his glass for another swig, then peered across the table at his sister, who had hardly touched her drink. She observed him calmly, saying nothing. No doubt calculating her next move. She was always working some angle.

Her creepy bone-white mask with red markings loomed on the table nearby, a reminder of the loathsome life she chose to embrace. A life that, these days, he experienced only in the form of hazy dreams.

"So," he started after realizing she wasn't going to be the one to speak up, "are you really here to see _me_, or are you here about you-know-who?"

Raven scoffed, leaning back on the aged wooden seating and crossing one leg over the other. "Oh please, Qrow. We can say her name. We're not scared children."

Qrow narrowed his eyes, searching her face for any hint of the old her. The woman who he used to be proud to call his sister. Who was this imposter?

"If you're so brave, why won't you fight her?" he spat back raspily, downing almost all of what remained in his glass, at least in part to block the scowl thrown his way.

"I have a duty to fulfill," Raven said, peering down her nose at her brother. She splayed her arms, looking around the rundown tavern packed with customers from various walks of life. None of them reputable, if appearances were any indication. "There's more to life than _this_, you know."

"_This_ is the only thing keeping me from suffering an allergic reaction to your bullshit, Raven."

She sighed, slapping a hand on the table. "No, I'm not here about Salem."

Qrow raised an eyebrow when she lifted her hand, revealing a small stack of lien. It was more than enough to cover their tab. In the back of his mind, he wondered whether or not the money was originally hers.

"Then what, Raven? I need to get back. You know, to the family you abandoned?"

"If that isn't the pot calling the kettle black," Raven whispered, shaking her head. She leaned across the table so that they were inches from one another. "Look, Qrow. I didn't ask you to meet with me just so we could argue. You already know how I feel about all of this, and I know how you feel. That won't get us anywhere."

"Finally!" he exclaimed, raising his free hand toward the ceiling, "we can agree on something!"

Ignoring the comment, she went on. "I came because I thought about what you said last time. About Yang."

"Yeah?" Qrow emptied his glass and cast it aside next to Raven's mask. "What about her?"

"You thought she deserved to know her father, and her...well, Ruby." Raven averted her eyes. He nodded and stayed silent, leaving her room to continue. "I've decided to tell her."

"Hmm?" Qrow gasped, looking at his sister in utter disbelief. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Just let me finish!" Raven hissed.

"Alright, alright. Sheesh."

"Anyway, for once, I'll concede that I think you're right. I've decided to tell Yang about each of you." Raven gave Qrow a once-over. "Well, not you. She knows of you, but just hasn't met you. I'll tell her about Tai and Ruby, and let her choose what she does with that knowledge."

Qrow frowned thoughtfully, cupping his chin. This was a big deal. Raven not only admitting she was wrong, but finally letting Yang know about the other half of her family?

A pretty barmaid in a floral skirt and burgundy blouse danced by, stopping to top Qrow's glass off. She was a bright speck in an otherwise dreary hangout spot. All around them he saw earthy, subtle tones. Depressing, to say the least. Not to mention the place was crawling with lowlifes. Odds were that the young lady wouldn't last long in this dump. Deep down, Qrow knew he should stop her from giving him any more to drink, but he didn't. Something told him this conversation would warrant another round.

"That's your fourth glass now, isn't it?" Raven teased, smirking at him. She winked at the waitress, who nervously giggled and skipped away. Qrow could tell his sister was grateful to have something to redirect the discussion to, so he allowed her that small mercy.

"Oh, you know me," he said with a slurred chortle. "I'll walk it off. Or fly it off."

Raven rolled her eyes at his ridiculous response, then leaned in again. "Qrow…" This time, she spoke much more seriously, and didn't look away. "If she wants to see you, I won't stop her."

Because he didn't know what else to do, Qrow nodded and muttered, "Thanks."

Silence flooded the space between them, creating an unspoken divide even as Raven drew closer, placing a firm hand on top of Qrow's. He decided not to throw any petty comments her way, since she was rarely this chatty. Or sentimental. Or _not_ a bitch.

"The tribe needs her," Raven insisted, staring at him with pleading eyes.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Raven," Qrow said flippantly, shrugging off her hand and standing up as he downed the last glass. "The tribe's way is single-minded selfishness and murder. I never wanted that for Yang, but you and Tai agreed that she'd stay with you, so it's not my business. Still, I can't abide that kind of thing. I never will."

"There was a time when you did," she said darkly, eyeing him from beneath her jet-black bangs. He didn't return her gaze. Just like that, Raven had taken this conversation where he didn't want it to go.

"Let me know if Yang wants to see us," Qrow said with finality. He put his hands in his pockets and shuffled away, pausing only to spin around and call out a quick, "Thanks for the drinks."

* * *

Yang's heart thumped madly in her chest. She looked at her mother with just enough of a grip on herself not to cause a scene.

"So, let me get this straight. I have a father and a half sister?"

"Yes," Raven said, her eyes directed at the floor.

Attempting, and failing, to form her response multiple times, Yang gave up and paced back and forth. Nothing seemed quite right as a proper follow up to the bomb her mother dropped. She opened the rusted locket once more and stared at the faces hidden inside, committing them to memory.

Raven stepped forward, but stopped when Yang squared her shoulders. The princess's eyes moistened. She sniffled to stave off her tears, and a quiet intensity took their place.

"Yang, listen to me-" Raven said.

Yang dug her feet in, feeling the wood beneath the flimsy floor mat of the tent splinter and almost give way. She didn't care. Heat surrounded her tightly clenched fists, and a surge built, soon to overtake her.

Before either woman could get another word out, someone ducked under the flap at the entrance to the tent and stepped inside. Yang was startled out of the imminent activation of her semblance by the sight of Vernal.

"Ma'am, I've returned from-"

Vernal paused at the sight of Raven in her gown, and Yang standing a couple of feet away, her eyes crimson red.

"My apologies, Raven, Princess. I'll be outside."

"No!" Yang blurted out, using the lifeline this situation offered. "I was just leaving, Miss Vernal. Please come in." She turned to Raven, bowed, and exited the tent, not allowing an opportunity to correct her statement.

Yang stashed the locket in a compartment on her utility belt, frantically removing it along with the rest of her combat gear.

"Something the matter, Princess?" a female voice asked. The princess turned to her fellow tribe member and smiled.

"Nothing to worry about here," she lied, slipping away into one of the lesser-used tents to collect her thoughts.

A stack of crates was lined up inside the musty tent. Boxes filled to the brim with supplies and weapons, no doubt procured through force and intimidation, a practice Yang long since steeled herself against the potential immorality of to ensure the safety of the tribe. After all, if they didn't do it, sooner or later someone else would do it to them, so why not strike first? Decisive action could mean the difference between life and death. Her mother always emphasized this, and many more rationales for the tribe's actions. The strong live, and the weak die. The Branwen Tribe was only picking a side before the world picked for them. Was that so wrong?

Yang slammed her fist against one of the supply crates. The resulting echo immediately made her regret the action, as she realized it would draw undue attention. She picked up another crate that had not yet been added to the stacks, pretending to drop it in case anyone came to inspect the random loud noise. Then she put it with the others and turned away, trying to catch her breath. Her utility belt, the one thing she never took off until bedtime, still held _that_ object. The locket her mother kept a secret for so long. What should she do? Keep it? Throw it away? Show it to the tribe?

This was such a mess.

All of her life, the tribe had been her only family. Raven, her sole parental figure. This life wasn't glamorous, but it was a life. She was fed, clothed, taken care of, and knew how to survive. That was all that mattered. Or so she thought.

Yang glanced back toward her mother's tent. Miss Vernal still had yet to emerge, and that was all the better for Yang. She couldn't face her mother right now. Not until she'd had some time to think.

Time. Yes, that was what she needed!

Yang stood up tall, her mind made up in an instant. She made sure to act casual, returning to the makeshift armory to get her utility belt. No one gave her so much as a second look while she strolled back the way she came. Once she was clear of prying eyes, Yang snuck around to the back of the encampment, where it was least guarded, and slipped through the barrier. She kept low to the ground, making only the slightest sound as she dropped to the ground and rolled toward a line of shrubs and trees. Someone looked her way, muttering that they thought they heard something. Other guards drew near, but by the time they did, it was too late.

The princess jogged at a healthy pace, continuing down the dirt path leading away from her home. Tears streamed steadily down her cheeks, drying quickly due to the wind in her face. She didn't know where she was headed, and right now, she didn't care. Aura pumped into her legs in wild, uncontrolled spurts.

Yang ran.

Ran until she couldn't hear the crackling flames of the Branwen Tribe's standing torches. Ran until the camp at her rear was a distant memory. Ran until she forgot why she was running in the first place. She just ran. Like her former reality, all else faded away.


	3. Chapter 3

Soft grass brushed against Yang's cheek as she slowly came to in a field just beyond a long stretch of forest. She must have run for hours before finally collapsing here, where there was no sign of any Grimm or travelers apart from herself. She yawned and pushed up onto her knees, realizing with horror that she had not brought water with her.

"Feeling rested?"

Yang jumped up in surprise, rolling away from the source of the voice and grabbing for her tantō, which fortunately was snugly resting in her utility belt. She glared up at the stranger, only to feel her mouth go dry at the sight of Raven. Her mother sat cross-legged atop a tree stump near where she'd slept. A twinkle of morning sunlight filtered through her thick mane of black hair, casting a warm glow around her.

"How...how did you find me?" Yang croaked out. She kept up her impromptu battle pose more out of reflex than conscious choice, maintaining a firm grip on her weapon.

Raven sighed, flicking her chin toward her sword, which was planted firmly in the ground a few feet away. Oh. That made sense. Yang was so caught up in the unexpectedness of her mother's appearance that the logical explanation of Raven's semblance leading her here flew right over her head.

"How long have you been here?" Yang asked, sounding more accusatory this time. She may have filled a lesser role in the tribe compared to her mother, but Raven was in no position to expect kindness from her.

"All night," Raven said. "There weren't any Grimm, but I didn't want to take chances."

That was when Yang saw it for herself. Raven looked at her sadly, revealing tired, reddened eyes that clearly had not seen a minute of sleep. Had she really protected her that way? Did that mean she left the tribe without a leader?

"Wait, what about the others?"

"I left Vernal in charge. She can handle things until we make it back."

"We?" Yang's chest lightened with relief at the reassurance that the tribe was in capable hands. Halfway into getting onto her feet, however, the princess froze in her tracks. "What makes you think I'll go back with you?"

Raven went silent. Yang wasn't used to this, and she didn't know how to explain it with words, but she knew they both felt it: a shift had taken place in their dynamic.

"Hello, mom?" she pressed.

"I'd understand if you didn't come back, but even so…" Without another word, Raven hopped down from the tree stump, picked up her sword, and slashed the space in front of her. Yang watched in silence as her mother stepped toward the portal. Giving her daughter one last look, she stepped inside, stopping halfway. "The choice is yours. I won't force you." Then she was gone, but the portal remained.

Yang stood there, wrestling with her melting pot of emotions. Overwhelmed by the weight of this choice, she decided to go now, and finish thinking things over later. She didn't exactly feel at peace with her mother right now, but that didn't mean she was ready to strike out on her own. So, resigned to her situation, she followed her mother into the portal.

In the blink of an eye, Yang found herself back inside the tribe's established campgrounds. On all sides of her, people were packing up and storing things in wagons or on the backs of horses. She found Vernal watching them from behind a rack of recently smithed swords.

"We can talk later," Raven said. "Today, we're moving on to the next village."

Yang gasped. That was right! Today was the day they chased out the residents of another village and raided the place. She wasn't entirely the tribal princess she once thought, so did she even want to do something like that anymore? Who knew how much more of the truth may have been kept from her?

"Alright," Yang said, turning to walk away. She pretended not to notice the many tribe members watching from afar. "I need some time to myself."

"Hope you won't run off again," her mother quipped.

Breezing past those in her way, Yang found her tent - the one she used when not in Raven's. Over time, it had become her unspoken personal space. Everything was exactly as she left it. A cot in one corner, a table with a few one-handed weapons on top, and a tiny lockbox where she stored any personal effects, along with lien. Finally, a duffel bag lightly packed with clothes and a brush lay near the entrance. The space was quaint, and held just the essentials because that was the way she liked it, royalty or not.

Burying her face in her hands, Yang panted heavily, relieved to have some alone time when she could let out all of her pent-up stress. While she wasn't quite on the verge of freaking out, like the previous night, she still had a lot to think about. For Remnant's sake, she had a father, and a sister! Did they know about her? Where did they live? What sort of people were they? Hmm...Taiyang, was it? And the girl's name was...Ruby? Yes, that sounded right.

Yang's heart sank. What if they lived in villages like the ones she and her tribe commonly targeted? Or for all she knew, they might be living as part of a tribe, too. There was just too much to process.

But right now, that didn't matter. She needed to isolate her problems, and focus on one at a time. The first was Raven. Did she still trust her? Had Raven meant all of what she said the past few years, or was all of that a lie, too?

Try as she might, Yang couldn't come to a definitive answer on any of these questions. Not with so little to go on. She slammed the table with a fist, grinding her teeth. Just then, she heard a knock at the support beam near her tent's entrance. Whirling around, she came face to face with a very concerned Vernal.

"Miss Vernal?" Yang asked, feigning ignorance. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello Princess," Vernal said, nodding and smiling as she closed the distance between them, stopping a couple of feet away. "I heard you ran off. Are you feeling alright?"

Something told her Vernal knew the answer, but was holding back. She was like an aunt to Yang, in a way, and always seemed to know what was on her mind. No one made her feel that way. Not since one of her dearest tribal sisters, April, died while out on a solo mission.

"I don't know, honestly," Yang said. Then a realization struck her, and she hardened her gaze. "It's mom, Miss Vernal. She told me something. A big secret. Last night, before you came back from your recon mission."

Vernal frowned, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I know."

"You _know?"_ Yang stepped back as much as the condensed space would allow. The atmosphere grew charged and tense. Vernal flinched, but didn't back down.

"Yes," she continued. "I've known about it since you left last night. Listen. Raven never does anything without a reason. I'm sure she meant you no harm."

"Are you?" Yang asked, her suspicions finally confirmed. She bit back tears. "Were you there?"

"No, I wasn't. But I-"

"Then how can you know for sure?"

Vernal had no counterargument, and it showed on her face. She stood there, hand outstretched, unable to answer.

"That's what I thought." Yang turned away, her expression cold and emotionless.

"Yang-"

"If that's all, then I'd like some privacy."

She didn't watch as Vernal's footsteps slowly traveled out of the tent and elsewhere in the encampment. The princess let out a heavy sigh, immediately hit with a pang of regret. Vernal hadn't deserved that treatment, but she was angry, and her most trusted friend in the tribe, who became like a mentor to her, was an easy target. Yang cringed at the thought, disappointed in herself. An easy target? Maybe she was like her mother, after all.

She looked down at her ruby-encrusted necklace that matched the primary color on the armor she wore. As a girl, she'd intentionally planned to fashion her look after her mother. To walk in her footsteps, and lead her family of bandits to a brighter future. Now all of that was like a lie lived by someone else. She still cared for them, but it felt wrong. Did she really have a right to think of them as her family, when her father and sister were out there somewhere, living another life without her? What about Raven? Why wasn't she with them, either?

Yang reached into her utility belt and removed the locket, opening it once more. Hesitant at first, she worked her fingernail underneath the photo on the left and pulled it free. She gazed into the faces of her father and mother. Then her own, a woefully ignorant smile plastered onto the young girl's face. A girl who she ceased to be ages ago. She started to sob, only cut off by mistakenly dropping the picture, which was so small that it was easy to lose if not kept in the locket. Yang bent down, retrieving the photo and dusting off specks of dirt. Something scribbled across the back caught her attention. She squinted to read the small, extravagant print. Her eyes widened.

There was an address! Whenever this photo was taken, her father and sister apparently lived in a house in Patch. Did they now? If she were to go there and find them, would her father even know who she was? The foolishness of that question made her slap a hand to her own forehead. She and Raven were practically identical. There was no way he wouldn't know.

Still, could Taiyang accept who she was now? She'd helped hurt people, and they didn't know the first thing about one another. What of her sister? What kind of person was Ruby, and would she care to know Yang? Did Ruby even know she existed?

Yang placed the photo back inside the locket, the address already burned into her memory, along with the faces of her long-lost family members. No, wasn't _she_ the long lost one?

Gripping her head in confusion, she leaned on the table and slowed her breathing for a moment. Wherever they were, she wondered whether or not they were thinking of her. Her mind raced as she laid down on the cot, draping a blanket from her duffel bag over her body. She needed to be alone with her thoughts. Only time in solitude could help her work through this mess. Vernal deserved an apology, to be fair, but she would see to that later.

Yang spent the next half hour staring at the locket, trying to glean something, anything, more from it. Deep down, she knew the effort was useless. Her tears fell softly, unseen by anyone else, onto the rough fabric of her cot, until she had no more to give.


	4. Chapter 4

The raid was imminent, and Yang had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach. Numb to everything around her, she suited up as she had countless times before. She tightened the straps on her gear, listening to her friends' idle laughter with little interest. They joked and chatted about various subjects, grabbing for their weapons of choice. 24 hours earlier, she had also been one of them - a bandit with a single-minded mission, eager to get the present task done and hurry back home to the spice-filled aroma of a hot stew, or sizzling slabs of seasoned meat on a grill. Of course, these were meals prepared with mostly stolen goods from ransacked homes of people she never knew, and likely never would.

It was easier that way. Not paying attention to their frightened stares, never getting a good view of their faces or learning their names. Whenever she did, Yang found it that much harder to compel her body to move and carry out what was asked of her. However, over the years, she'd become a master at lying to herself. Ignoring that nagging sense of unease that always crept up when she had to push wild Grimm closer and closer to settlements, then watch as they wreaked havoc, leaving innocent people with no choice but to run or die. But it never mattered, because after all, those who were strong would live. The weak were bound to die anyway.

At least, that's what she used to believe. Now, everything her mother taught the tribe for so long was called into question.

She took her first excruciating steps on the march out of camp. Anyone watching her might think of it as a day like any other, but the battle going on inside her was a great and terrible one.

"Halt!" Raven shouted from in front of the camp's large wooden gate.

Each of the tribe members fell into place in neat rows, a perfectly synchronized unit. Everyone apart from Yang, who stumbled on a rock as she planted her feet. A few people stared at her in confusion, but then promptly turned their attention back to Raven. She boldly faced the tribe, her weapon out at her side.

"Let me make one thing clear," Raven said, brandishing her sword. "I want this done quickly, efficiently, and with as little engagement as possible. Lop off a few limbs, kill a few, but make sure you leave most of the Grimm alive. Once we stir up their survival instinct and push them across the river, they'll do the rest of the work for us."

"Yes, ma'am!" came the chorus of voices.

Yang shuddered, hoisting her backpack up onto her shoulder when it slipped. She looked down and noticed the tangled mess that was her hair. In all of the commotion, she hadn't even noticed that it needed a good brushing. That was beyond rare. She needed to hurry and get a handle on this situation before it drove her crazy. Figure out a course of action. Sooner or later, her mother would be ready to have that talk they were overdue for, and would probably force her hand.

A couple more instructions from Raven were met with equally fervent shouts of obedience. Yang did not join in, instead withdrawing into herself.

Shay stood proudly in Vernal's usual spot at the very front and center of the procession, a rifle strapped across his back. Vernal was Raven's most loyal follower, and the person Yang looked up to most. However, they still needed to mend their relationship. Maybe there would be time for that during the tribe's reconnaissance of the Grimm's territory.

The tribe clustered together, trailing behind Raven as she led them out of the camp and down the familiar dirt road. Once the tribe was out in the open, she signaled for everyone to stop and held her sword out at arm's length. Raven inhaled, then forcefully sliced horizontally with her blade, tearing open a red vortex that swirled and breathed with life. It hummed, fueled by the tribal leader's aura reserves.

A day's walk reduced to mere minutes. Sure, she was used to this by now, but the idea that such a thing was possible still amazed Yang. On the other side of the portal, Vernal stepped back to let the large procession of tribe members, equipment, carts and wagons enter. Yang knew what awaited at the end of their short journey. She wasn't sure she was, or would ever be, ready.

Settling onto a grassy area surrounded by a canopy of trees, everyone sighed with relief. Many small children clung to their mothers, clustering together along with any other non-combatants. Those who came armed to fight passed their children off to whoever was available to look after them, then awaited orders. Raven held up a closed fist and called for a few minutes of rest. The knot in the pit of Yang's stomach twisted ever tighter, threatening to force a grumble or groan out of her. Still, she refused to let her nerves get the better of her. Most people took Raven's command as an indirect invitation to have lunch, following her silent example. She sat next to Vernal, rifling through her belongings until she found wrapped fresh vegetables and bread.

_Just great._

Yang knew there would be no avoiding her mother or Miss Vernal if either of them chose to approach her. Not now that they were only a stone's throw away. The same was true of her fellow tribe members, who must have known something was going on. A furtive glance here. A fold of the lips there. They may not have had a clue about why Yang left, but they weren't stupid.

Finding a nice, empty spot of grass away from the group where she could sit and eat the sandwich she packed, Yang squatted into a cross-legged position and set her bag down. She unpacked slowly and methodically, glad to have something to focus on other than her all-consuming exhaustion or her mother's secrets. Staring down at the sandwich with a blank expression, Yang shoved it in her mouth and ate, doing her best not to think. Thinking would lead to further obsession, and she'd had enough of that for now.

Eating alone was calming, but strange. Ordinarily, she was more of a people person, with a crowd of lively people around her. They all celebrated loudly and drank, but somehow, she managed to retain the title of life of the party, no matter what. She was energetic, vibrant, and fun, as opposed to her quiet, calculating, and cold mother.

Yang grunted and stood up. There she was again, thinking about Raven. Raven, Raven, Raven! Everything always came back to Raven.

Footsteps crunched on the twigs behind her, and she stopped short of turning around to see who was there. Somehow, she already knew.

"Yang, I'm sorry," Vernal said.

The princess let the awkward silence persist, if only to buy her time while she thought of an appropriate response.

"About what, Miss Vernal?"

"About before. I shouldn't have left things that way. Not when I saw you were upset and needed to talk to someone."

In spite of the tension, Yang chuckled as she turned to face Vernal. "Well, I didn't exactly leave you much choice. I'm sorry too. That wasn't fair of me. I should've heard your side first."

"Yes, you should've."

The gentle dig hurt worse than a punch to the face, but Yang didn't shy away from Vernal's words. She deserved them after how she behaved.

"Anyway," Vernal continued, "I didn't come here to talk about my side."

"Then why did you?"

"Yang, I think it's your mother whose perspective you should lend an ear to," Vernal suggested, nodding toward the spot on the grass where she and Raven previously sat to eat. Raven was sitting there alone, chewing on a stalk of celery.

Yang knew her mother didn't deserve it right now, but even so, she couldn't deny that the sight of her so lonely pulled at her heart. For all of Raven's secrecy and wrong choices, she was still the woman who led an independent army and kept them all alive day after day. The one who taught Yang about her semblance and aura, showed her how to use them to survive, and sang to her to calm her down after nightmares. The one who used to brush her hair and tell stories about the tribe, her brother, who defected years ago, and the Huntsman academy she once attended with him. Maybe, Yang considered, it was best to talk to Raven now rather than put it off. Surely, she was hurting just as much as her daughter was by holding everything in.

"Yang?" Vernal asked, stepping closer and waving a hand in front of her. "Hello?"

"Oh, sorry about that." Yang shook herself back into focus. "Go on."

Vernal sighed and took Yang's hand, looking down at her with a tender smile that turned to a frown. "I'm only suggesting you talk things out with her. I never got the same chance with my parents before they...you know."

Yang did know. Vernal's parents, once highly respected members of the tribe themselves, died on a scouting mission, leaving her orphaned. Now she masterfully performed similar missions, such as heading up the reconnaissance unit that was due to survey the Grimm lurking near their target village. Following Vernal's parents' passing, Raven took her under her wing, both literally and figuratively, and she, in turn, did the same for Yang.

"Yeah," Yang said gruffly, pulling away. "But I just don't know."

"If I had another chance to speak with _my_ mother, there's no way I wouldn't take it." Vernal patted Yang on the shoulder and left her with the words, "Please don't waste yours."

With difficulty, Yang forced down her misgivings about Raven, trying to concentrate on the good in her that she used to admire so much. That she still admired, even after everything she learned in the past couple of days. The Raven who she knew loved her was hidden somewhere under that rough exterior. If she could find her, maybe she could also find a way to forgive both Ravens. To process this without losing what mattered most.

"Mom," Yang said shakily, staring at her mother's back. Raven sat with her blade laid across her legs, never one to be caught unawares.

"Yang, what is it?" she asked, a tinge of hope in her voice.

"I decided…" Yang struggled to form the words, watching Raven's ears twitch in expectation. "I want to discuss what we talked about last night. I mean, if you have a moment."

Raven chewed slowly, and Yang stood idly by, not knowing whether the silence was a good or a bad sign. Just when she'd begun to lose all hope of a response, Raven waved her forward.

"Come sit, please," she requested, pulling out a canteen of water and guzzling it noisily while Yang got settled. "So," she said, stowing the canteen away, "would you like to start?"

Yang nodded. Everyone within earshot moved and sat farther away, providing the mother and daughter with the privacy that they clearly needed.

"Mom, why didn't you tell me about them?"

Raven sighed, setting the rest of her food aside and clearing her throat. "It's not as simple as you think, Yang," she said.

"Then tell me what was so complicated about it. I'm right here asking you to give me your reasons."

"Okay, that's fair. Listen carefully, because this isn't a story I like to tell."

Yang hardened her gaze, every inch of her body pinging as she prepared to hear the hidden truth about her unknown family members. Raven slid her sword back into its sheath before launching into her lengthy explanation.

"We started out as comrades, Tai and I. Teammates on a team at Beacon Academy."

Yang's mouth dropped open. "The one you were on with Uncle Qrow?"

"Yes," Raven said with a nod. "Your father and I decided it was best for you not to live a life split between the two of us. It would only cause unnecessary stress. So we agreed that he would take Ruby, and I would take you."

"Why didn't you stay together? And how did you decide which of us you would take?"

"That part...is complicated. Tai and I had a nice life together in Patch, at first."

Yang felt anger building again, but simmered down before her mother noticed anything. This was news, if she'd ever heard any. Not only did her mother hide her family members's existence, but she intentionally gave Yang the impression that apart from Beacon Academy, the tribe was the only home she knew. She lied for years on end.

"So what happened?" Yang urged, rocking back and forth in anticipation.

"You see, your father and I view the world very differently, Yang. He wanted to stay together and live a happy life that I knew was never going to happen."

"Why not?"

"My duty is to the tribe. I always intended to go back someday. It's not like I didn't tell him. I guess he just never really believed me. Even so, I admit he almost convinced me to stay."

Yang gulped, choosing her next words carefully, as Raven didn't openly discuss this next subject. "What about Salem?"

All sound seemed to vanish from the space. A soft breeze blew through Yang's hair, as if in foreboding of the topic at hand. Pausing for a long moment, her mother looked up into the air, seeming to recall something important.

"We had different ideas about how to deal with Salem, to put it simply. Also, there's one more thing. Tai has Ruby, and I have you, because I'm not Ruby's mother. Her mother was your uncle's, your father's, and my fourth teammate. Her name was Summer Rose."

Taking a breath, Yang tried her best to absorb all of this information. Taiyang and her stepmother were part of the team Raven used to tell her about? She'd conveniently left that part out in the past when she talked about those days. There was so much the young princess still wanted to know, and so much she never realized she didn't know until today. This was getting to be too much. All of the stuff her mother already told her about Salem, who commanded the creatures of Grimm, and the magical Maiden powers and bird form Raven possessed, should have made it impossible for anything to shock her anymore, and yet….

"What happened to Ruby's mother?" Yang asked tentatively, not entirely sure she wanted to know once the words left her mouth. However, there was no point turning back now. "You said her name _was_ Summer Rose, didn't you?"

"We barely made it out alive after our foolish battle with Salem. I wanted to stop, to live free of her, far away from anything to do with all of that. I thought about asking Tai to come with me back to the tribe, but I knew from our previous talks not to bother. Your uncle and Summer chose to stay, too, and fight for Ozpin."

Raven sighed and took another swig of water. "Summer paid the ultimate price for that blind loyalty. While she was out on her last mission, she went missing. It didn't take much to put together what happened."

Yang didn't know what to say, so she just sat there taking everything in. She could tell by Raven's shifts in tone that this was a very tough subject to discuss, so she didn't interrupt her.

"The craziest thing is, at one point I seriously entertained the idea of leaving the tribe and staying in Patch to raise you. But the more rational decision was to leave with you while I could. Your father and I had a big fight over whether or not to keep helping Ozpin. Seeing that I couldn't change his mind, I...I decided I had to do what was safest for us."

"You mean taking me away?" Yang asked gently, her chest heavy with emotion.

"Yes. Then when I heard what happened to Summer, I knew that even though it wasn't easy, I'd made the right choice."

Yang stared at Raven, stunned by her story. It was difficult to imagine a time when her mom wasn't one-hundred percent committed to the Branwen Tribe. Deep down, she wondered who Raven believed her choice was right for - her family, or herself? Thinking back, something clicked in her mind. She still needed to be sure, though. Everyone, even her mother, deserved the benefit of the doubt.

Growing misty-eyed, Raven stopped short. She turned away from Yang, shoving her feelings back beneath the surface, and then looked up again.

"I...I think I understand," Yang said. "Mostly."

"I'm sure you still have so many questions."

"Yeah," Yang scoffed, eyes widening for emphasis. "Of _course_ I do! But one last question."

Raven nodded.

"Why did you ask how I felt about our tribe before you told me all of this? You must have had personal reasons."

Her mother looked at the ground.

The princess continued, her tone a touch firmer. "Would you have told me the truth if I gave a different answer?"

The whistle of a gust of wind was her only reply.

Yang glared down her nose at Raven. "I figured as much." She shook her head, getting to her feet and stepping back a few paces. "And to think I almost wanted to believe in you again." She turned to walk away, but Raven sprang up and grabbed her by the wrist faster than she could react.

"Yang," Raven whispered, so close that Yang could feel every warm breath she took. "Wait."

Left with no other choice, Yang froze, taking one long look at the woman she used to be proud to call her mother. She had no clue who this new person before her was, and didn't care to find out. Raven's long dark hair fell limply down her face, blocking it from view.

They stayed in that position for what felt like an eternity. Eventually, Raven relinquished her grip, and Yang stormed off into the distance. There was no point keeping up appearances any longer. All eyes were on them now.

Yang's mind reeled as she walked away. What should she do now? For the first time in her life, she couldn't ask either of the people she formerly looked up to and trusted for guidance. Her feelings about Vernal were still up in the air, but her mother had just made it very clear that she would go to amazing lengths to preserve her own self interests versus sharing vital details about her daughter's identity. Predictably, Vernal approached and tried to stop her.

"I did what you said. I listened," Yang spat, pushing past Vernal before she could get a single word out. She continued on until she was far enough away from the group.

Standing alone, Yang looked up, watching the beaming sun slowly set on the tribe. Every member she passed appeared visibly shaken to their core by the incident they just witnessed. Somewhere under that vast sky, Yang knew her father must be looking up, too, and thinking of her.

In light of recent events, Yang didn't know what to think, or how to proceed. Princess or not, she belonged neither here, nor in Patch with her father and half-sister. There was no stable home for her to go to for shelter. She was the outcast. The unnecessary baggage.

The other daughter.


	5. Chapter 5

Murder was a simple act.

If anyone knew that truth well, it was a Branwen Tribe member. Especially one from its most respected dynastic line. Yet today, Yang Branwen, Princess of the dozens upon dozens of followers under Raven's command, whose respect she earned both by birthright and through personal deeds, faced a choice that was anything but simple.

The raid was happening now, whether she liked it or not. The tribe, led by her efficient and goal-driven mother, would not wait. She was expected to pull her weight. To strike. To kill.

Yang wiped her brow, walking over to where Vernal crouched low, peering over a row of bushes. A far-off patch of unmanaged grass housed several Beowolves, sinister black miasma floating around them in thick clouds while they stalked their unmarked territory. They were ferocious, no doubt, but worse still, they were patient. They were waiting for their next victims to come along.

The plan was very clear-cut: move in on the Grimm, overpower them, and lead them in the direction of the villagers. Ordinarily, the rest took care of itself, and Yang lounged around with the others, waiting to loot any spoils they could find. Today was different. It had to be. Something inside her was moved by what she saw, sending a shiver through her body. Yes, she knew it all along. Although it pained her to admit it, whether her involvement was indirect or not, this was no different from murder. She was a killer.

"Miss Vernal," she started, her voice weak at first.

"Shhh!" Vernal whispered, placing a hand on Yang's bright blonde hair to push her down and out of sight. "Are you trying to get us caught, Princess?"

"No," Yang replied, clenching her fists. She kept her voice low, but firm. "Sorry. Anyway, don't you think we ought to wait?"

The moment the words left Yang's mouth, she saw the shadows of more tribesmen out of the corner of her eye. They spread out around her and Vernal, no more than ten, filling out the spaces remaining in the reconnaissance unit. Vernal held up a palm to put the operation on hold while they talked.

"_Wait?_" Vernal echoed. "Why? This is what your mother ordered. I thought you came to help me lead the push."

Yang looked away, trying to find the right words. There weren't any right words though, were there? Maybe it was too late now. What could she, one girl, do to change a tradition that had gone on longer than she'd even been alive?

"Forget it," she blurted out half-heartedly, if only to redirect her friend's focus.

Vernal swept the area with a quick scan, then signaled the other group members, whispering over her shoulder. Nodding, they moved forward in unison, encircling the pack of Beowolves with their blades, blunt weapons, and guns drawn. Yang reached for hers, then followed Vernal's movements to the letter, slowly picking up speed to charge alongside her. This was the big moment. It was happening, and for the first time in her life, she could honestly say that she was hating every second.

One of the much larger Beowolves, clearly an Alpha, sniffed and craned its neck toward them as they closed in. There was no turning back now. Vernal snapped both disc-like blades off of her back, swinging one, and then the other. The Alpha leapt away, leaving two of the lesser Grimm to get sliced in half. Yang took a breath, then crouched and blasted herself skyward, closing in on the descending Alpha. She flipped backward in mid-air and landed a powerful kick to its stomach, chipping away at a section of bone before she, and it, crashed onto the dirt, disoriented. She knew she had to get moving, and fast. Exactly as expected, the remaining Beowolves rushed toward their unexpected intruders. One of them clawed at her leg, but was promptly eliminated by a thin beam shot from one of Vernal's chakram-guns. Yang kicked out with both legs, the momentum pulling her up onto her feet. Then she strafed away, blade in hand. Vernal moved in behind her, and they stared down the Grimm, back to back.

The violent events that followed passed by like a dream. A hand hacked and slashed, parried and stabbed, ripping through ink-black monsters. Someone's voice shouted orders, warned her comrades, and gave fearsome battle cries. But it wasn't Yang's. It couldn't have been, because she was still paralyzed, her mind racing through the many inevitabilities soon to take place at the next village.

When it was done, the two women panted heavily, using spare rags someone handed them to wipe away sweat and grime. Behind them, a handful of the remaining Grimm whimpered and clustered together, forced into a triangular formation against a tree.

"We've got them," Vernal announced, making more signs with her fingers to get the others moving along.

The Beowolves scattered, but moved in the same general direction: toward the village. Yang, Vernal, and the rest of the recon unit were already on the move. They gave chase, and Yang did too, but she found herself slowing almost to a jog. This was wrong. This was unbearable. At least, it should have been. The fact that doing this felt as normal as it did sickened her.

A deep red portal opened as they reached the edge of the forest, the Beowolves running further into the distance. Out stepped a procession of the other tribe members, then Raven Branwen herself.

"Let's move," she announced without ceremony, turning on her heel and marching confidently after the fleeing Grimm.

A flame inside Yang rose like smoke into the air, building in a way it never had before. Warmth filled her. Rage took hold.

Yang had no idea what it was that possessed her to step in front of Raven, arms crossed and semblance active. Even so, before she knew it, she was moving, her body acting of its own accord. She planted her feet, looked into her mother's eyes, and shook her head.

"No."

Raven came to a halt, eyes wide with a rarely-seen expression of pure shock. She quickly recovered, however, and narrowed her gaze at her daughter. One hand rested casually on her sword hilt.

"What are you doing, Yang?" she asked as if it were the most ridiculous question to have to ask someone. "What is this?"

"This…" Yang grunted, looking around at the equally shocked fellow tribe members, "is me telling you no. Stop this."

"Stop what?" Raven scoffed. "If you had an issue with the raid, why wait until now to say so?"

"It doesn't matter," Yang stated defiantly, her eyes brimming with tears that threatened to blur her vision. "I won't let you do this to these people."

Raven took a breath, widened her stance, and raised both hands in a soft shrug. "I guess you think this is the part where I'll say 'okay, then. Let's go home and find another way to feed and clothe everyone.'"

Yang didn't respond, but she also didn't budge.

"This is ridiculous," Raven said, her eyes flitting upward in annoyance.

"Yang," Vernal said, hand outstretched toward her. "Please think about what you're doing."

Raven glared at Yang, and she matched her mother's intensity. The princess knew this was stupid. She knew it was risky and might get her killed. She also believed above all that it was the only choice to make.

"So you're planning to fight me, Yang?" Raven asked, her usual confident smirk returning to her lips. "That's suicide, you know."

Yang gulped back her fear and stayed put. "If it comes to that."

Nothing around her mattered any longer. There was only the wind beating against her skin, her mother's fierce red eyes, and her own passionate, semblance-fueled fury at the injustices her people were attempting to commit.

Raven took a step forward, and Yang flipped her tantō so that it warded off her mother, or anyone else who might try to advance. Her heart was pounding harder than ever before, but she knew she couldn't let this happen. The sickness in the pit of her stomach would never cease if she did.

Vernal moved ahead of Raven, standing directly in front of Yang and staring her in the eye. Not with confusion, anger, or malice. Only sadness.

"Are you really going to kill me, Yang?" Vernal asked, not looking away for a second.

Another emotion welled up inside of Yang, clashing with the fury that already coursed through her. She bit her lip, trying, yet failing, to force it back. Her wrist trembled, but she didn't drop her weapon. She couldn't.

In the background of their encounter, distant screams and battle cries echoed from the village. Yang stood her ground, silent and concentrated. This village, as the tribe learned from recent recon missions, had a considerable fighting force, although none were trained Huntsman. Nonetheless, they would have no problem dealing with a few Grimm. Without the Branwen Tribe's interference, they would almost certainly survive this. Yang just had to pull through here.

Raven waved her followers away, then sped past Vernal, little more than a blur. She cast her right hand woman aside, and Vernal fell onto the dirt in front of the rest of the tribe. Only a half-step away from Yang, Raven looked down at her with an unreadable expression.

"Mom," Yang said, her eyes burning with both anger and tears, "there has to be another way."

"Maybe for you there is," Raven spat, reaching for her sword.

This had to be it. She was going to die. Her mother had decided to kill her right here, in front of everyone in the tribe, for insubordination. However, if it was a fight Raven wanted, then it was a fight she would get. If Yang took anything meaningful away from her mother's years of twisted teachings and half-truths, it was to always go down fighting.

Raven unsheathed her blade. Yang felt the cool edge of the katana at her neck in the same instant that she registered the blade leaving its resting place. Her heart dropped into her stomach as the vast gulf in ability between them was silently hammered home. She'd always known her mother was skilled, but this was unreal. More surprisingly still, Raven hadn't chosen to kill her.

"Do as you wish, Yang, but know this." Raven bent forward, tilting aside so that she was clear of the tantō and her mouth was next to Yang's ear. "Come between me and what's best for the tribe again, and I won't hold back."

This statement should have scared her. Struck her with an unshakeable sense of fear for her own life. Made her knees buckle from the sheer weight of its implication. Instead, it did the opposite.

Yang stood tall, pulling back her short sword. Every ounce of hesitation and anxiety she felt melted away, leaving only her strength and conviction. Now she knew. This was why she resisted. This was why she could not stand by while Raven picked and chose who lived or died. Someone had to stand up for those who couldn't do it for themselves, and if she had to give her life to become that person, so be it.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Yang retorted, smiling with a renewed confidence that seemed to perplex even Raven, whose eyebrow rose as her daughter strode past without so much as another glance at her.

"One day you'll understand, Yang," she heard her mother say. Whatever tied her so strongly to her mother's every word had severed, and the words felt hollow now. More lies. She did not need to one day understand anything.

_She already did._

In fact, it was for this very reason that Yang kept walking, snatched her things off of one of the wagons, and didn't look back. She had already ruined Raven's golden opportunity, so she at least accomplished that much. There was nothing for her here anymore. She didn't want this self-proclaimed kingdom built on blood, lies, and deceit. Yang only wanted the whole truth of who she was, and she knew exactly where to get it.


	6. Chapter 6

She had never traveled all on her own like this. At least, not while she wasn't completing a mission for the tribe, and certainly not this far from home. Yang lost count of how long she'd been walking, feeling much less concerned with the sun's position in the sky than with the strain of her heavy load of personal belongings on her legs and back. Most of the credit for that went to her full set of armor.

_Well, no choice but to power through it._

Sighing, she heaved the case where she'd stored everything up just as it almost touched the ground, and readjusted the leather strap across her shoulder. This was going to be quite the trip.

An unknown amount of time later, she came across a quaint building on the side of a road. There was a sign that was much too old and worn-down for her to read. Two horses were stabled nearby, and there was even an unattended caravan parked next to the building. She heard people talking inside, but couldn't see anyone. Yang paused and fought her natural inclination to avoid all contact with strangers. Honestly, she was worn out and could use a break. What was the harm? She stepped off of the dirt path and headed for the entrance to the building.

As Yang ascended the two small steps into what appeared to be a shop, several pairs of eyes fell on her. She tensed up, but felt relief when they all ignored her and resumed their previous activities. The shopkeeper was haggling the price of some sort of handheld contraption with a couple who seemed very interested. Across the room, a woman perused a rack of weapons. Yang couldn't help but notice two things. First, she looked as if she hadn't fought a day in her life, judging by the casual clothes she wore. Second, her long, dark hair resembled Yang's mother's hair, only much straighter.

Raven had yet to show her face again. In the back of her mind, Yang was on edge. She had to wonder whether her mother wouldn't, or perhaps _couldn't_, portal to her any longer. Had one or both of them broken the bond that allowed her semblance to work on Yang?

She approached the counter, waited for the couple to finish making their decision, and then stepped up with a stern expression on her face. The owner needed to understand right away that she wasn't here to make friends. She wanted to be in and out of this place as quickly as possible.

He stared down at her over thick glasses, slanted eyes wrinkling when he smiled. "What can I do you for, young lady?" he asked, his voice like smooth fabric. Textured, but not scratchy.

Faced with the kind greeting, she found her own tone and posture naturally softening to mimic his calmness. "I, uh," she said, pausing to think. "Are the horses outside for sale?"

He nodded toward the door. "We rent'em out. Help yourself. Just make sure you drop it at one of our waypoints along the road when you're done. Look for the flags."

On her way down the road, Yang had seen the tall posts with yellow flags on them that matched the banner across the front door of this place. She'd had no idea what they meant until now.

"Thanks," she said, depositing an unnecessary amount of lien and hurrying away from the counter. She stopped when he called out to her.

"Young lady," he said. "If you're gonna be out late, you may wanna stay here for the night. The Grimm like to hunt around these parts when it gets dark."

She scoffed, then gave the store owner a half-smile. If only he knew how much he underestimated her. "Thanks, but I can take care of myself." Yang pulled out her tantō and flipped it up into her other hand. The man's eyes went wide and he said nothing. Her point made, she headed for the horses in the small stables by the road.

A sign hanging from the road-facing stable door read, "Take what you need."

She did.

Fond of one of the horses' shining sandy coat tinged with flecks of gold, she decided it would be hers. It didn't protest as she put the gear stored nearby on its body piece by piece, checking that everything was properly aligned. Then Yang fastened her belongings down, pleased to see that this horse could easily handle the load. She tugged at its lead rope, guiding it onto the road just as a customer walked past, loaded up with a bag of recent purchases.

Yang and her new companion strolled along at a steady pace. She felt much lighter and more free now that he was bearing the weight of the armor set and her other personal belongings. Sooner or later, she'd need to climb onto his back and ride faster, but for now, the simple time alone to slow down and de-stress was doing wonders for her.

A signpost made with polished wood and twine directed her to turn right at the next intersection to reach some place called "Pine Family Farm." She shrugged. Wherever that place was, she hadn't heard of it and couldn't afford a detour. It was already turning dark out, so she took the straight path that the sign marked "Mistral Terminal" instead. She would have continued all the way there, if not for a light rain that started to soak her and the horse. It whinnied and danced uneasily, prompting her to speed up a bit and take shelter under a tall tree by the side of the road.

They slept there together for an unknown amount of time. Yang wearily settled against the tree trunk, realizing just how exhausted she was after the long trek. Tribe living taught her to just keep going, but now that survival was all on her, and she had no backup to ease some of the burden, things were different. Although she didn't want to admit it, Yang accepted that she'd gone overboard, perhaps only to prove to her mother and herself that she could handle this alone.

She wondered, just before sleep embraced her in its gentle caress, what Vernal, Shay, and the others were doing right now. Did they go looking for her? Were they missing her at all? Or had they gone home, cursed her for ruining their plans, and forgotten all about her? Her final thoughts drifted to her childhood idol April, the previous Spring Maiden. Yang really missed her, but every Branwen understood that life takes everyone at some point. April's time just came sooner than anyone could have expected. The ex-princess hoped that wherever her late friend was now, she was proudly watching over her.

The next morning, Yang woke with a yawn and a stretch. She roused her horse with a gentle pat, and they walked for a bit until it had found a steady rhythm. Then she hopped onto its back and galloped. Multicolored specks in the distance grew in size, finally becoming full-sized people, caravans, and wagons. She'd never seen so many people gathered in one place before. Very few wore combat armor or weapon holsters. That meant she'd stick out like a sore thumb.

_That's just great_.

Slowing to a trot, Yang maneuvered her way around those who weren't in line. There were two streams of people moving along, so she listened for instructions from the two guides shouting destination names, then got in one of the lines. The processions both led in the same general direction, only branching off at their halfway points.

Up ahead, Yang spotted one of the yellow-tagged waypoints for her to drop off her horse. She grimaced, staring down at him with a sad smile.

"Well, boy, looks like this is it for us."

She gave him a soft rub on the head and followed the line as it inched forward. The lien pouch on her belt was chock full. She would need it to get where she was going. Yang held onto the hope that this wasn't the worst decision of her life.


	7. Chapter 7

The sun here burned brighter, or maybe that was just in her imagination.

Looking off into the distance, Yang saw that the road stretched on for miles, with no visible end. Eventually, it was swallowed up in the dense forest beyond the plains. Seeing no point in delaying, she followed the townspeople's instructions and walked along the dirt path into the unknown.

She had to admit, the heavily forested area was very peaceful; silent, save for the occasional chirps of birds hidden in the trees. Grunting, she hunched forward to reduce the strain of her pack on her muscles. The struggle wasn't quite so bad now that she'd used her long flight on the airship from Mistral as down time to rest her tired legs.

There was not a single human, animal, or Grimm in sight for the first few minutes of her walk. Eventually, a squirrel scurried past, diving into a nearby bush. Apart from that, Yang was all alone on her quiet trek. Better for her, too, she reasoned, since she wasn't quite sure what her plan was, or what she'd do once she made it to her destination.

_Crap_, she said to herself, glaring at the ground like it had wronged her. _I didn't think that far ahead._

In hindsight, she realized that it probably would have been best to use her time on the airship to form a more solid plan. Although, to be fair, Yang was so frightened by every minor shake or hum during the flight that she couldn't focus. After all, she'd never flown before. So instead, she closed her eyes and tried, unsuccessfully, to ignore the conversations of the other passengers.

They talked about simple things she'd never taken time to consider. What activities they had planned for the weekend, new stores opening in Vale, whispers of the presence of a group called the White Fang in Beacon, which kingdom they'd cheer for in the next Vytal Festival tournament, which of the four Huntsman academies their children wanted to attend, and so on. Yang couldn't relate to, or find much of a reason to care about, any of this, yet they seemed deeply interested in these unremarkable topics. Would Ruby and Taiyang be that way? What sorts of things were they interested in? How much did they know about the Branwen Tribe's lifestyle?

Her chest tightened, but she pressed on. Not much further and she'd be there. A woman back in town where she stopped to get some food had said that once Yang saw the large rock on the side of the road, she'd only need to follow the path to the right. Then she would reach the cabin where one of Patch's local Huntsmen and his daughter lived.

Yang took a few more deliberately slow steps along the curving dirt path, looking up to see the dense canopy of trees thin and give way to a large clearing. Smaller trees dotted the grassy land surrounding a large cabin. She made her way toward the house, holding her breath and looking worriedly around to ensure she was alone. A sound caught her attention as she neared the house, and she threw herself behind one of the trees for cover. Feet crunched against twigs, sending a shiver through Yang's body.

The noise had come from the direction of the cabin.

Yang craned her neck and peeked around the corner to see a girl shorter than herself shuffling along, toting a small handaxe. It gleamed in the sunlight, bouncing up and down with the movements of her delicate frame.

She was so..._tiny_. Yang found it hard to believe that the girl before her was capable of wielding that axe with any level of proficiency. Yet she watched in amazement as the girl held the axe out at an angle and swung it forward with a soft cry, digging a deep groove into one of the trees. She continued in solitude, chopping away at the wooden trunk until an audible creaking signaled that the tree was about to fall. When a few more repetitive chops didn't do the trick, the girl groaned, tossed her axe to the ground, and shuffled around in her dress's pockets for something. Her blood-red cape caught a draft of wind and floated upward, throwing her off balance. She grumbled something in frustration and found her feet, whipping out an oblong, metal contraption of some kind. Holding it out in front of her, she pressed a trigger on its side, and with a metallic whir, it expanded into a large scythe right before Yang's eyes.

A gasp escaped Yang before she could stop herself. She flattened her body against the tree, catching the beginning of the girl's slight head movement as she turned to look in the direction of the noise, narrowly missing her. Yang prayed that the girl would ignore her. Sweat trickled down the sides of her face and pooled on her forehead, torturing her with itches that she didn't dare try to scratch.

"Hello?" the girl said in a very high-pitched, but firm voice. Her voice carried, piercing Yang's ears and striking more fear in her than even the bloodthirsty growl of a Beringel. Suffocating silence blanketed the area. "Thought I heard something."

Grimacing, Yang chanced another glance around the corner. The girl was taking a stance, staring intensely at the tree. She gave a battle cry and sliced clean through it. The tree landed with a thud. Faint tremors from the fallen log rippled through Yang, even from so far off, adding to her anxiety. The girl continued to hack at the wood, chopping it into more manageable pieces. Then she disappeared again and returned with a ruddy-colored wagon. Humming to herself, the girl methodically picked up the wood two or three pieces at a time and stacked all of them in the wagon. She turned and rolled the wagon away again, leaving Yang alone with her thoughts.

Her sister. Ruby Rose. The girl was certainly not what Yang expected. She was so meek, cute, and, maybe strangest of all, she seemed happy. Not struggling, sad, or worried about her next meal. Ruby was casually gathering firewood, singing songs, and even seemed to have some experience with using a weapon. Was she a Huntress? Yang didn't even know the academies trained students that young.

A crow cawed in the distance, and Yang swiveled around, searching the skies for it out of habit.

_Damn. Why am I so on edge?_

Forcing herself to breathe and calm down, she ran over a million possible scenarios in her head. However, she knew that every minute she wasted was only time spent delaying the inevitable. One of the teachings ingrained in her by her time with the tribe was that one of the worst ways to spend your time was inaction. She wasn't the inactive type, but for some reason, ever since she found out about Taiyang and Ruby, she hadn't felt like herself anymore. Worse yet, she wasn't sure whether the person she was ever really existed. She sighed and emerged from behind the tree, weaving her way through the cluster of trees and stopping in front of the door to the cabin. The curtains on the windows were closed. That was a relief. She didn't want anyone to see her coming and make this even harder.

A sign in front of the house read "Proceed to back for pickup/dropoff."

Pickup and dropoff? What was that about? She decided to ignore it for now, and walked up to the door to knock. Yang wrapped once on the door, softly, not yet fully committed to the act. The door hinge creaked and it swung open, catching her by surprise. Inside, she saw Ruby standing at the center of an open living room, beside a couch as green as the surrounding forest's treetops. Ruby jumped and turned around, locking eyes with Yang before the ex-princess had a chance to regret her choice.

"Oh, hi there!" her sister said, laughing nervously and scratching the back of her head. "I didn't realize I left the door unlocked. Are you here for repairs?"

Yang blinked, saying nothing. Her bag's strap slackened, sliding down her shoulder. Ruby's eyes followed the motion, and she gasped.

"Oh! You're here to drop off parts, aren't you?" She curtsied, nervously stumbling over herself as she moved toward the door. "Dad! Customer!" Hurrying past a speechless Yang, Ruby said, "Let me run and get the inventory list." Her voice trailed off. "Where did I leave that pesky thing?"

Yang thought she remembered seeing a shed around the back. That must've been where Ruby was going. A clattering and a thud from another room in the house sent Yang rigid. Everything in her begged her to move, to run, to get as far away from this house as possible - but she couldn't. This was the whole reason why she'd traveled this far. If she chickened out now, then what was the point of everything up until now? She planted her feet and gritted her teeth. Gentle footsteps descended a flight of stairs and approached the living room.

A tall, lean-muscled blond man strode into the room. He flexed an arm, revealing a prominent black tattoo. His cargo shorts and vest provided a strong contrast to the spaulder and arm brace he wore. It was like he was halfway through putting on armor, and just stopped for some reason. Even so, there was no doubt about it. This was Yang's father, Taiyang Xiao Long of the infamous Team STRQ.

He took a breath. "Whew!" he said. "Sorry about that. I was putting away some boxes and-"

His eyes fell on her. Yang drank in every detail of his semi-rugged facial features, and the softness of his wordless stare. In his face, she saw bits of her own. His cheekbones were higher and his chin appeared more defined. He even had that little dimple under his bottom lip that the tribe told her appeared whenever she was anxious. She and her father may not have looked terribly similar, but she'd definitely inherited his nose, hair, and perhaps even his ears. Otherwise, she was more or less a clone of her mother. Or so most of the tribe told her.

Taiyang opened his mouth to speak, then paused. He squinted, looking her over with painstaking slowness. She stayed still, terrified, but at the same time excited. Should she speak? Her knees buckled, and she feared she might fall and embarrass herself.

Then he said a single word, shaking Yang to her core. While she'd heard it countless times, somehow it sounded much more meaningful than at any other time in her life when it was coming from his lips.

"Yang?"


	8. Chapter 8

Her trembling lips tried, unsuccessfully, to form a response. Yang stood in the doorway for a moment, gulping before taking stilted steps into the house. She watched her father intently, and found him observing her equally closely, but neither of them said a single word. In fact, Yang was so preoccupied with focusing on him that she didn't notice her bag falling from her shoulder onto the cabin floor.

Taiyang's lips were pursed in a pensive stare. He stepped forward, chest puffed out. An attempted show of bravery, she assumed. Or maybe he really was just that muscular. She bent forward to pick up her bag, not taking her eyes off of him.

"You look just like her," he said barely above a whisper. She froze, still bent down, one hand outstretched toward the bag.

Yang watched his eyes gradually moisten. She retrieved her bag and stood up, looking on in silence. Her father hurried across the room toward her. Her muscles tensed up as she waited anxiously for whatever he had planned. Stopping abruptly a mere two feet or so from her, he held her gaze, shaking like there was a chill in the air. His surprisingly gentle hand touched the side of her face and brushed her hair.

He reeked of a mixture of the heady scent of fresh grass and a thick smell of exhaust. Looking more closely, she saw he was sweating, and had a few discolored streaks of black smeared across his clothes. Taiyang stared down at her with a subdued smile. The spark of life in his eyes was without luster. She'd seen that look many times before, in the eyes of her fellow tribespeople. The strays and formerly lone wolves Raven deemed worth welcoming into the family. Hopelessness colored their very existence. It was easy to see that they were just running on fumes, doing what they could to survive. That's what made the Branwen Tribe such an appealing alternative. For all its faults, Yang had to admit that it offered purpose and direction to lost souls who wanted to become strong.

She noticed deep lines on Taiyang's face that she missed earlier. Wrinkles down both sides of his nose bridge emphasized the weariness he tried to mask with a broken smile. She couldn't help but wonder what weighed on him, and whether she had been right when she imagined he thought about her often. A red tint flushed what should have been the whites of his eyes.

"I can't believe it's really you," he said, his voice nearly cracking and full of emotion. She still didn't know what to do, so she just stared up at him and nodded. "Oh my gosh," he said, stepping back and wiping both hands down his face. "How...how did you…" Taiyang took a breath, clearly still reeling about her arrival. She felt much the same, so she couldn't blame him. "Is your mother with you?"

Yang looked at the floor. "No. I left the tribe. Left Raven."

"What?" He stared back at her, his face white with disbelief. "You came all the way here on your own?"

Yang reached into a compartment of her utility belt, lifted out the locket, and presented it to him. "Yeah. With this."

She waited nervously while he took the item from her and examined it with stunned curiosity. He seemed to mentally transport to another world as he examined every face in the photos, and traced even the most minor scratches and dings in the metal.

"I haven't seen this in years," he whispered, snapping it closed and looking up at her again. "Qrow mentioned Raven was going to tell you about us, but I never thought...I don't even know _what_ I thought."

Yang frowned as he handed the item back. "I guess I just really wanted to meet you two. I wanted answers. I never knew about you, or Ruby. Mom never said a word until two days ago."

Taiyang huffed, staring up at the ceiling. "I'm sure she didn't. To be fair, neither did I. We agreed it was best that way."

Her fingers mimicked the motion of her father's fingers, retracing every imperfection on the locket's surface. Silence hung between them, and guilt seeped into her. She was wrong to come all the way out here. To upend her father and half-sister's realities like this, expecting them to...well, she honestly didn't know what she expected. All the more reason not to have interrupted their lives.

"Sorry to surprise you like this," Yang said, pocketing the locket. "Curiosity just got the better of me."

"No, no!" He waved her comments away. "Quite the opposite. I'm really happy you're here!" Taiyang pointed toward the couch. "Please, sit if you'd like. I'm sorry this place isn't looking so great right now. I haven't had a chance to clean."

She shook her head, and he continued on.

"You've come such a long way, Yang. Are you thirsty?"

Without waiting for her answer, he disappeared around the corner. "Let me just grab a mug from the kitchen and make you some tea! Do you like tea?"

"No, really, it's alright," she called out.

He didn't re-emerge for another thirty seconds or so, and when he did, he was grinning from ear to ear. The smile reached his barely-focused eyes, proving it to be genuine. He was tired. Even so, he was giving it his all to welcome her into his life. Realizing that only compounded the guilt festering in her.

"You didn't want to sit?" he asked, eyeing her, then the couch.

"No, I'm good. Look, like I said, I'm really sorry. I can tell you've got a lot going on here already. I shouldn't have come." She turned to leave, but was stopped by a tug on her arm. Taiyang had reached her faster than she thought possible, and he quickly pulled her into a tight hug. His lean muscles were warm and solid, almost like bricks. He must have been just as strong as the tales of he and her mother's team described.

"Yang," he said through tears, a shiver passing through him and into her. "You've grown up to be such a wonderful young woman. I'm so glad to see you."

Their hug lasted for what felt like an eternity. Try as she might, she couldn't help but cry along with him. This man, this stranger, who wrapped his arms around her with all the love of a cherished member of her tribe, wept with her. His pain, raw and undisguised, was so genuine that it brought out her own. Feelings she didn't realize she was masking poured out of her like a fountain. When he finally let her go, she sniffled, taking a moment to collect herself and find the right words.

He beat her to it.

"Please consider staying with us," he said. "We don't have much, but I can set up the guest room for you. Most of our other rooms are filled with boxes. I just got a new shipment for the repairs and augmentations shop that Ruby helps me run out of the shed. That's why we have the sign outside. Stay as long as you like. Also, I'm a teacher at Signal part time, so maybe you could go with me to the school one of these days and meet my students." He laughed awkwardly when her eyes widened in shock. "Ah. I overstepped there a bit, didn't I? Sorry. Getting too ahead of myself."

"Dad," she said, testing the word out on her lips while trying to sound natural, "it's okay. I really should go."

"When can I see you again?" he asked eagerly, a sad smile on his face. "Wouldn't you like to meet Ruby? She's a lively one, but a lot less into the garage work I like to do. She does have a deep love for weapons, though. How about you?"

_Oh crap_.

Ruby. She'd completely forgotten about the fact that her sister still didn't know. Yang had already had just about all her heart could handle. She didn't know how meeting her sister would go, and part of her really didn't want to find out just yet. Overwhelmed by millions of potential outcomes, she withdrew into herself, looking away from her father. He was saying something about Ruby preparing for the Beacon entrance exam when she cut him off.

"I think I need some time." She headed for the door. "Please, don't say anything about me just yet."

"Wait, Yang. Don't you at least want to finish your tea?"

His voice faded as she slipped through the front door and beat feet across the dirt, headed as far away from the quaint cabin as her body would take her. She needed to find somewhere to lay low and rethink things. Yang thought she could handle all of this - meeting her new family members, and talking about all that they had missed together. Clearly, she'd been wrong. Coming out here was a mistake. Now Yang needed a new plan. If she wasn't going home, and she wasn't ready to spend time with Taiyang and Ruby, what did that leave her? For the first time ever, she found herself completely and utterly alone. At least before, she had the hope of something unknown on the horizon with her newfound family to look forward to. Now she didn't even have that.

* * *

Ruby watched the blonde girl who looked about her age hurry off down the path into town with confusion. She shrugged and stepped through the door to her house, a clipboard in hand.

"Hey, Dad," she said. "I just saw that girl leave. I went to get the inventory list so I could add in whatever parts she brought us. But then I noticed Zwei chewed on my cape again, and I hadn't seen it when I gave him a treat this morning before Qrow left to take him to the vet. So I got distracted and I-"

She stopped short. Her father was leaning against a wall, head in his hands, and clearly deep in thought about something.

"You okay?" she said, coming closer and reaching out to touch his arm. "Who was that girl?"

"Don't worry about it, Ruby." He revealed his face and flashed her a smile. "I already took care of things with our visitor. Come on! We've gotta get at least one of these rooms unpacked before you get accepted into Beacon and I'm stuck with all the work."

Knowing better than to ask why he didn't just get Qrow to help, Ruby nodded and went upstairs with her father. However, she couldn't help but question why the girl who visited them left with her bag still full and weighing her down.

* * *

Somehow, Yang found herself back in the restaurant she ate at earlier: a diner with large tables and a great deal of open space. The aromatic smell of numerous spices filled her nostrils, reminding her that the food here was on par with, or better than, some of the more memorable dishes the cooks whipped up back at the Branwen Camp. However, even the intoxicating smell of herbs and meats didn't do much for her nerves.

Not many customers were here, but Yang still felt extremely uncomfortable. Doing her best to hide her unease, she claimed a free table far away from the others and relaxed into her spot on one of several benches positioned at angles around the table. She laid her bag down next to her and took off her utility belt to stop the furtive glances from fearful customers across the room. Attracting attention was far from the top of her list of desires right now.

"What brings you back to us this fine day, young lady?" the wide-set woman who'd served her soup earlier said, sauntering over from behind a counter. "Did you ever find the gentleman you were looking for and his daughter?"

"Yeah. Thanks for your directions. I got what I came for." Even as the words left her mouth, Yang wondered whether or not they were true. "This place doubles as an inn, right?"

"You bet it does!" the woman said, leaning across the table with a warm smile. Her long brown hair was tied back in a bun, but a few stray strands hung loose, framing her face. A faded red blotch stained the woman's otherwise perfect white apron. "Free breakfast with every night's stay, to boot! Will you be staying with us tonight?"

Peeling her gaze away from the stain, Yang felt for the money stored away in her utility belt. There was still a lot there, and probably more saved up in her bag. Given that tribal living lent itself to rarely going into established settlements without the intent to overtake them, she hardly ever spent her lien.

_Well, I don't have anywhere to go now. Why not?_

Tonight, she could figure out her next move and take action. She hadn't thought this far ahead. Taiyang and Ruby were supposed to have been endgame, but now that slapdash plan was out of the window. It was time she found direction, and carved out some semblance of a better life for herself than the one she was bred to lead under Raven's care. One where she wouldn't have to intrude on the lives of her already overtaxed father and blissfully unaware sister. Maybe someday, when she'd done that, she could face the two of them without shame. Her days of taking advantage of other people for her own selfish needs ended with her interception of the raid back in Anima.

_First things first, though. I need to rest and recharge._

"Yes. I'd like a room, please."


	9. Chapter 9

The next day's morning sunlight peeked through the curtains of her one-room abode, bathing half of Yang's face in warmth and gently rousing her. Her eyes fluttered open. She slipped out from under the covers, panicking for a second, until memories of the past days' events came back to her. This was the first time in forever that she'd been away from the Branwen Camp for longer than a day. Mentally, she still had yet to adjust to her new situation. That was okay, though. She assumed she would with time.

Yang yawned, sitting on the side of the bed and staring at the hardwood floor beneath her feet. It was sturdy and polished; much more refined than any tent encampment she had ever set up with the tribe. The innkeeper provided a spare set of clothes the night before, already pressed and cleaned, that she could don when she felt like coming down for her complimentary breakfast. It hung neatly in the closet. Pale yellow walls added a soothing effect and made the room feel a little larger than it was in reality. Was this the kind of comfort established villages were accustomed to? If so, she finally understood not only what the appeal was, but also the kind of peace that she used to help destroy without a second thought.

Deciding to take advantage of the ability to slow down for a change, she stood, stretched, and made her way to the single window near the headboard of her bed. Patch was quiet. Still sleeping, she figured. Aside from a few worker bees who were already up bright and early, she saw only the gentle sway of trees and grass outside her door, and the tops of buildings staring back at her. Her first morning in Patch was peaceful, and something about it made her happy she was here to see it. Her body pinged with restless energy, so she turned and went to open the closet door.

In under thirty seconds, she was changed into her new clothes. A tall mirror hanging from the front door was available to observe how she looked. In all honesty, she wasn't a huge fan. The drab outfit was slightly baggy, with frilled edges on the sleeves of her top and the ends of the leggings. Granted, she did feel pretty comfortable. Seeing no point in wasting anymore time, she went into the bathroom to get ready for the day.

Several items awaited Yang on the counter. Two neatly folded handcloths, a few creams and oils, and a basin that she could fill with water from the sink. Yang scrubbed her face clean, brushed her teeth, and got her wild hair in order. Of course, she was only able to tame everything but the single cowlick that refused to ever bend to her hairbrush's will. When she was finished, she left and descended the stairs, finding a couple of families already seated and tearing into a buffet that smelled delicious and made her mouth water. She was more than happy to join them.

"How are you feeling this morning, young lady?" the woman who ran the place shouted, hoisting a stack of emptied pots and pans up and moving them away from the row of buffet options.

Yang grabbed a plate and fought to maintain a smile. "Great," she said.

"Your bed comfy? Everything going well so far?"

"Yeah," Yang said. "The bed's perfect. Actually, I've never stayed in a place like this before."

"Well, we're happy to be your first experience! Will ya be stayin' another night?"

"I don't know yet. The rates here seem pretty reasonable, but I do want to get going eventually."

"Where to? You seem like a busy woman, and a tough one at that. Noticed you came in here all suited up like a regular Huntress."

Yang stopped halfway through ladling a steaming spoonful of some kind of porridge onto her plate. "A Huntress?"

"Yeah! Y'know, from one of the academies. Are you here on business?"

"Oh, no," Yang said, holding her free hand up in denial. "I'm just passing through. I'm not a Huntress."

"Well, you certainly seem to know your way around a fight. I can tell by the way you carry yourself, missy."

Yang smiled nervously, running a hand through her hair. "I guess you could say that. Anyway, thanks again." She finished scooping the rest of her chosen food onto the plate, then found an empty seat. Her plate was clear in the next five minutes, and she was already standing up for more.

"Quite the appetite you've got there," the woman commented as she walked over to clear away another emptied pan of food.

"I'm sure I'll work it off today," Yang said, walking away with her next round of sustenance.

She was only a third of the way through her next full plate when a man burst into the room, eyes bulging with terror. "A Grimm!" he shouted. "A Grimm's been spotted lurking near the west entrance to town!"

"Have ya told that Huntsman fellow?" the woman replied.

Nearby customers began to murmur worried comments amongst themselves. Suddenly, Yang had no appetite as the atmosphere of the room shifted to one of fear and confusion.

"Already checked the cabin. He and his daughter aren't home! Must be at the school."

"Damn," the woman said. "That's a bit far from here."

"I'm gonna head over there," the man said, dashing out of the door and away from the inn.

Yang hurried upstairs and changed into her battle gear. She had work to do.

There were three Grimm waiting for her when she arrived. One medium-sized Nevermore and two Beowolves. They must have been drawn by the emotions of some townspeople and separated from their packs.

Unfortunate for them.

A frightened group of townspeople fled in the direction of town. Glancing behind her to make sure they were safe, Yang stood, hip cocked, out in the open, her lips curled into a smirk. The Nevermore was first to strike. It flung sharp feathers in her direction. She dodged around the majority of the projectiles, letting her blood-red armor deflect the rest. Nothing forged by the Branwen Tribe's blacksmith would be unable to handle such a simple attack. The Beowolves closed in. She strafed forward, past one of their outstretched claws. Yang whipped out her tantō and swiped it sideways, aiming for one of the Beowolves' ribs. However, it seemed to catch onto her tactic, because it rolled away, sustaining only a shallow cut.

The second Beowolf wasn't so lucky. Yang ducked under its follow up slash and cried out, driving her blade up into its chin. She viciously dragged the blade along the length of its neck and underbelly. Gutted like a fish, the creature collapsed onto her and slowly disintegrated. Black smoke sprayed out of it like water, tainting the air. Yang shrugged the heavy beast off, rolling away as its comrade darted for her.

It was all Yang could do to block as a flurry of strikes tore through the space between her and the Grimm. For once, she regretted not having a longer-range weapon to fall back on. This Beowolf was much too smart and large to take out the way she had its partner. She noted the considerably thick growth of exoskeletal armor around its head and torso. This thing was very old, with the combat experience to show for it. She needed to approach this from a more strategic angle to come out on top.

Another, more forceful lunge succeeded in knocking Yang back. She tumbled backward and slammed into a tree. Her injured side throbbed with pain that aura soon healed.

Damn.

She hadn't wanted to waste her aura on healing. She needed as much as she could spare, just in case this fight ran longer than intended. After all, in battles of attrition, aura was a godsend.

The enemy snarled, staring down at her with burning red eyes. With killing intent. Yang hopped up onto her feet and leaned to one side, correctly predicting a lightning-fast swipe that ripped the tree behind her in half. Its severed top crashed to the ground with a thud. One second earlier, she realized, and that could have been her head.

Kicking the Beowolf with as much force as she could muster, she sent it back a few feet. The Grimm dug its claws in, skidding to a stop, and roared.

Meanwhile, she turned her attention to the Nevermore, grabbing a smaller throwing knife and aiming at its head. The knife embedded itself in the Grimm's eye and passed clean through, thwarting its plan to fling deadly feathers down at the fleeing townspeople. It dissolved into nothing. She couldn't celebrate just yet, though. The final Beowolf's rumbling growl reminded her that she still had company.

Here it comes again.

Yang pulled out her backup blade and readied both weapons, crouching in preparation for the next assault. The monster charged her, a physical manifestation of pure bloodlust. Even with one hundred percent of her focus on its oncoming attack, she was unable to tank the force, and was sent careening backwards across the grass. The Beowolf pounced, intending to finish her off before she could recover. She lifted both legs and spun into a low stance, backflipping to avoid the next attack. Her foe landed heavily, missing her by an inch. She rushed back in as the creature was still in motion, jumping over its head and stabbing each of her blades into the fleshy parts of its heavily protected neck. It gave a garbled, guttural roar and thrust its head from side to side, only jostling the knives around and hurting itself further in the process. Yang held on tightly, flipping onto the Grimm's back and riding it like an unruly horse. Its mad attempts to shake her proved fruitless.

"Gotcha!" She flicked both blades upward and drove them further in, effectively severing whatever tethered it to this life. Its head convulsed, then hung limply, almost completely detached from its body. Yang slid off of the back of the creature and dusted herself off.

Looking toward town, she was surprised to see a small gathering of citizens cheering and clapping for her victory. For a second, it was almost like she was back home again, and had just proven herself against an Alpha in front of the tribe. Apparently even here, she could use her strength to make a difference. That's when her dad's words rang in her head again. He said something about Ruby joining the local Huntsman academy. Beacon. The one her mom had attended with him. Now she understood why her sister would choose such a dangerous path. The payoff of seeing the relief and happiness on the faces of those Yang had saved was indescribably rewarding to her soul.

_Hunters must feel like this all the time._

She strode through the parting crowd, smiling and nodding at either side. Now that she'd cleaned up the threat, Yang wanted to do some sightseeing before moving on to whatever was next. The allure of adventure always excited her in ways nothing else could, and she had nothing but a future full of adventure ahead of her. She would explore the world, learn more about it, and find her place in it as she went.

The walk through Patch was a pleasant one, apart from the occasional uneasy stare she received from passing townspeople. Word quickly spread of her feat with the Grimm. She knew because people began coming up to her and thanking her. Children asked for pictures with her. Seeing a still image of herself captured on their parents' handheld technological devices was surreal. She never believed what the tribe always said until now: she really did look like a dragon in human form in her armor. Naturally, she assumed they were only speaking highly of her because she was Raven's daughter.

That afternoon, as Yang returned from killing a couple more Grimm and headed for the stairs, she saw a man seated alone against the far wall. She ignored him, already thinking about what her next destination ought to be. He called out to her, stopping her in her tracks. Yang turned curiously toward him, tilting her head in confusion.

"Excuse me. You're Ms. Branwen, correct?" the silvery-haired man said, his perfectly positioned black spectacles reflecting the overhead light and contrasting a pair of almond eyes.

"Who wants to know?"

He chuckled, pushing his spectacles up when they slipped.

"Where should I begin?" he asked no one in particular. "I believe you may know me as...Professor Ozpin."


	10. Chapter 10

Professor Ozpin came to visit her here in Patch. Yang still hadn't quite wrapped her mind around that fact when he began laying out his reason for coming.

He was a lot less rude and unemotional than Raven's stories would have had Yang believe. He introduced himself calmly, with a warmth that didn't feel forced, and even ordered the two of them some tea. Whether it was a coercion tactic or not, Yang was never one to turn down free food or drink.

"Your heroic deeds precede you," he said, gesturing around the restaurant. "Everyone in Patch feels much safer, thanks to your efforts."

"You're staying here, too?" Yang asked. She was hesitant to fall into any traps he might be setting for her without her knowledge. She needed to choose her words carefully.

"I am," Ozpin said with a nod. "This inn always makes me feel so welcome. I am in town for a few more days to meet with the Signal Academy administration regarding this year's Beacon entrance exams."

"Why stay at a place like this?" Suspicion laced her question. She drank more tea while he formed his answer.

Ozpin laughed. "A valid question. I see no reason to take privileged private housing near the campus. Certainly, I am Beacon's headmaster, and that comes with a degree of _clout_, so to speak. But I'd much rather live among the people we strive to protect as Huntsmen and Huntresses. At the end of the day, I'm no different from any of them, am I?"

He stopped to sip his tea, and smiled at her over the rim of the cup.

"I guess not," Yang said uneasily, twiddling her thumbs on the table as she tried to feel him out. What was this all about? He obviously wasn't here just for small talk.

"Well, Ms. Branwen, I'll make this quick. I'm sure you are a busy woman."

She nodded, giving him a hard, expressionless stare. Whether she was in good graces with her mother or not, she knew enough about the truth hidden beneath the surface that it was probably best not to trust Ozpin right away. Not for her mother's reasons, but for her own. She was determined never to act on behalf of Raven Branwen ever again.

"I'm going to oversee the standardized portion of the entrance exam at Signal this week, and I would like you to take it."

Yang spat out her tea and lost all ability to speak or function for a good ten seconds. When she was sure he had really spoken the words she thought she heard, she sputtered, "Excuse me?"

"You didn't misunderstand me," Ozpin said, sipping more tea and pouring himself another cup. "I am asking you to come to my school. Your skills would serve you well there. I don't even need to see you in action. Given your parentage and your feats outside of Patch today, I'm confident you'd do well at Beacon."

"Thanks, but I'm all good," she said with a bit of snark.

He took her biting tone in stride, adopting a thoughtful frown. "Are you sure?"

"Very," she said curtly, standing up and downing the rest of her tea. "Not interested."

He attempted to sway her, but without even giving him the chance to finish his sentence, she blurted out in a harsh whisper, "I know about Salem."

The look on Ozpin's face was priceless. All pretense left him, and he stared at her with an unreadable expression. She wondered what he must have been thinking, but had a pretty good idea. Here he was, left speechless and ashamed in front of a girl a fraction of his age. One who would not be fooled like all those who came before her.

"I see," he said, his voice shakier than before, but still retaining a measure of calm.

"I'm not interested," Yang repeated, turning away from the headmaster. "Have a nice trip back to Beacon."

"No matter what you may think of me, it's true that this world does need people like you, Ms. Branwen. Grimm are an ever-present threat, as you well know. That's worth considering, don't you think?"

She didn't answer. Realizing he was getting nowhere with that angle, he tried another.

"You know, I heard your sister wants to attend this year as well. Her chances of getting in are looking very favorable. I don't directly determine who is allowed into the school, but from what I know of her, she has a good chance of acceptance."

_Crafty bastard._

"Yeah, well, great news for her," Yang said, starting toward the stairs.

"If you change your mind, I'll be staying in Room 12 on the second floor until the end of the week."

"Don't hold your breath, _Professor_," Yang said coldly, disappearing up the staircase amidst the prying eyes of several customers and staff members. They muttered things to one another and gazed in awe at her shining body armor. The reactions had lost their novelty after receiving so many today.

Upstairs, she got out of her armor and into her casual clothes, which the staff washed for her while she was away and left in a plastic bag. She sighed and fell back onto her bed, relieved to have escaped Ozpin. Her muscles still ached from the demands of battle, but aura was slowly easing the pain. On the spur of the moment, she decided to help it along, and dressed down again to relax in the tub. Ex-warrior princess or not, she could get used to this life of comfort.

Yang let the hot water caress her tired muscles. Left with nothing better to do but think about her family, and Ozpin's bold proposition, her thoughts drifted to Ruby. Was Ruby going to get roped into things with Ozpin the way Team STRQ had? Yang stopped herself. What did it matter? Why should Ruby be her responsibility? Even so, it didn't feel fair for her sister to go into attending Beacon blindly, without even the slightest clue she was being led on by a fraud.

All that aside, Beacon Academy trained Huntsmen and Huntresses to wipe out the threat of Grimm wherever it appeared. Ozpin and those at his school had a duty to protect the innocent. That fell in line with her own moral code much more so than anything Raven preached. She wanted adventure, and wanted to continue feeling the high of knowing that she was using her strength to help those she formerly victimized. These were all great reasons why she should have leaned in favor of Ozpin's offer, but all those years hearing about his manipulative plans, whether skewed by Raven's opinion or not, had an effect on her. Whether Yang wanted to admit it or not, she couldn't look at this from an unbiased perspective.

She thought back to her late friend April. Yang used to run to her at times like these. April was like a goddess among mortals, but also incredibly human. The powerful, yet gentle Spring Maiden. She always knew just what to do or say when Yang needed help making big decisions. Then one day, she was gone, and it was up to Yang to think for herself. Of course, Vernal and Raven were there for her, but there was no one quite like April.

"What should I do, Miss April?" Yang asked with a sigh, laying her head back against the tile.

Eventually, she moved on from lathering and rinsing her body to direct much-needed attention to her hair. It hadn't seen a good wash in a few days. The cathartic process of washing her hair took the edge off of her overwhelming anxiety, but when Yang returned to her room to sit on the bed, the choice still remained. It hung over her like a dark cloud.

Frustration led her to leave the room and go for a walk on the outskirts of town to clear her head. At least this way, she wouldn't run into Taiyang or Ruby. It was dark out by the time she returned, and she was too tired to think. Just the way she wanted it. Yang fell into a deep sleep, welcoming dreams that would help her forget all about Professor Ozpin's proposal and the awkward encounter with her father the previous day. Her final thought before she nodded off filled her with regret.

_I really shouldn't have stayed in Patch._


	11. Chapter 11

Yang descended the stairs and greeted the staff, who were hard at work on serving breakfast and helping guests, as always. She'd made up her mind. She needed to leave town, but first, she wanted to thank the woman who offered her food and a place to rest her head.

A quick sweep of the room reassured her that _he_ wasn't around. Ozpin was the last person she felt like seeing right now. Relieved, she turned away from the buffet line and approached the kind woman in the apron who was always waiting with a smile. For once, the apron was completely spotless.

"Good morning, there," the woman said as she turned away from speaking with one of the cooks. "How are ya feeling, miss?"

"Good, thanks. I'm heading out. I left the clothes you lent me hanging up." Yang looked at the sign above the woman's head that listed prices, and dropped two nights' worth of lien on the counter.

"Oh, is that so?" The lady pouted. "Shame to see someone as helpful to this town as you go, but I wish you the best!"

"Thanks. I'm really glad I decided to stay here."

Letting out a heavy sigh, Yang turned and strode out of the inn, hoisting both straps of her bag up onto her shoulders. She didn't know exactly where her next destination would be, but it didn't matter.

_Anywhere but Patch._

She started on the long walk out of town with heavy steps, weighed down by a flood of thoughts about the last two days. Whether right or wrong, she'd visited her father, only to chicken out when he did nothing but try to be nice to her. That wasn't her. Even so, when she really thought about it, she was doing them both a favor. Her father, and even…

Even Ruby. Her sister, who hadn't ever gotten the chance to truly talk with her. To learn who she was and decide how she felt about that information. No matter. Ruby would never see her again, so it was useless to dwell on. She'd go on and have a life of her own. Hopefully, a good one.

Yang grimaced as, against her wishes, she reflected on the conversation with Ozpin. Why had he bothered to approach her? He seemed surprised to hear that she knew the truth about him, so maybe he thought he could spin a tale and do to her what tried to do years ago with her mother.

_Fat chance of that._

Even so, Ruby didn't deserve to be a pawn in his plans. At the very least, she needed to know the truth. But to barge into her peaceful life with Taiyang and ruin it would be no better than visiting him unexpectedly had been. Seeing the lack of energy, but abundance of love, in his eyes when Taiyang spoke about both of his daughters told her that if Ruby didn't know the truth now, breaking it to her might be too much. The conversation was tough for Yang when Raven told her the truth, so she could only imagine how it might affect her kind and gentle younger sister, who had her whole life ahead of her.

Yang's feet crunching over twigs and leaves was the only sound she heard apart from the faded echoes of laughing, innocent children near the entrance to Patch. She couldn't stand this. The weight of knowing their laughs were built on lies. That Ruby's smile was, as well.

Ruby needed protection from Oz, whether she knew it or not. Even more so because she was ignorant of everything. She didn't have that same look of knowing in her eyes that Raven, Vernal, or Taiyang had. The look that said without words how hopeless life felt. No matter what, the underlying sense of doom lingered, dampening even the happiest of moments. Yang perfectly understood why Taiyang would not have told Ruby yet, granted he probably should have. Everyone deserved to know the whole truth and make their own decisions.

While Ruby may not have been her responsibility, Yang was the only one in a position to help. She'd already decided to leave behind her days of letting others suffer while she stood by, doing nothing. So how could she leave Ruby at the mercy of Ozpin and his secrets? There was only one choice. A choice that would derail her goal of independently seeking adventure and freedom. One that would shackle her to a fate she might not be able to escape. But it would be worth it, if she could save even the smallest soul in the process.

Cursing under her breath, Yang stalked back in the opposite direction.

In no time, she was back in Patch, doubting herself the whole way to the inn. Yang grumbled as she trudged up the stairs to the second floor. She took her time walking along the narrow hallway, finding the most mundane details interesting in an effort to delay the inevitable. She noted the cracks in the walls that had been caulked, and the occasional lighter-colored floorboards that gave away where renovations were done in the past. She even gazed into the downlight overhead, observing a couple of dead insects that had found their way beneath its loosening plastic cover. They'd willingly sought their own demises. How silly.

_I'm one to talk._

Yang finally stopped in front of Room 212. Mustering every ounce of willpower available to her, she raised her arm toward the door and knocked firmly, awaiting the beginning of her voluntary journey through hell.

Another, much less eventful stay at the inn filled the time between Yang's reluctant conversation with Ozpin and the dreaded day of the written exam. She opened the door to the examination room at Signal Academy, ignoring the multiple pairs of eyes that zeroed in on her. Ozpin stood beside the exam proctor at the front of the room, delivering some kind of introductory speech to the rows of students crouching over their pamphlets, pencils poised to write. Thankfully, Ruby was not among them. They'd been assigned to different test days. She preferred it that way, so as to avoid running into her dad.

"Ah," Ozpin said in a cheery tone, "Ms. Branwen, you've made it just in time. Please, take your seat there."

Yang plopped into the corner seat nearest to the door and tuned out Ozpin's long speech about the prestige and honor of attending one of the four Huntsman academies. She refocused halfway into him wishing everyone good luck. He walked away amidst a smattering of applause. Yang locked eyes with the suave, polished gentleman who had everyone else in the room fooled just before he exited. She couldn't read his expression, but that was nothing new. All she needed to do now was ace this exam. Then she could move on to signing her name in blood on the contract that would allow her to become a Huntress-in-training.

_Here goes nothing, I guess._

Finally, the day to board the airship to Beacon arrived. Yang would have hurried onboard, except that she saw her father speaking with Ruby. She hung back, blending in behind taller students who were crowding around the large door that had yet to descend and allow entry. Upon closer inspection, Yang noticed some kind of small, black-headed dog accompanying her family members. Possibly a Corgi? Ruby bent down to pet it, hugged her father so tightly her feet lifted off of the floor, and then joined the crowd of students. Yang was far enough away that neither Taiyang nor Ruby spotted her.

The door to the airship finally clicked open and slid into its lowered position. Everyone rushed onboard. Someone stepped on Yang's toe, and another person shoved past her. Struggling to hold back the activation of her semblance, she waded through the masses, tight-lipped, and made her way up the ramp.

The airship was enormous, so she had no trouble finding a nice, quiet place along the wide window to lay back and relax. Her stomach churned as the airship hummed, slowly lifting away from the ground and taking to the skies. She saw the greens and browns of nature give way to an all-encompassing soft blue out of the corner of her eye. The flight was smooth, but simply knowing that she had to go through this again made Yang uneasy. She felt much more comfortable on the ground, yet in the space of a week, she had been forced to fly twice. Not one to shy away from new experiences, she decided to focus instead on the Beacon initiation process and her fellow students.

A blond boy wearing an armored chest plate tottered past her. He looked like he might vomit up his own guts all over the floor of the ship. She shook her head and looked away, laughing at the fact that she'd felt similarly before. But now that they'd set out for Beacon, Yang had to admit it wasn't so bad this time. Compared to the bumpy takeoff on the airship from Anima to Vale, this ride was a luxury cruise ship.

"Oh, hey there!" a small voice chirped. Yang turned and looked directly into the eyes of her sister, who was looking her way with a smile on her face.

_Crap._

Yang played off her reluctance to speak with a gentle wave, hoping the gesture would suffice. Ruby bounded over from the far end of the ship, shattering those hopes.

"Hey!" she said when she reached Yang. "I remember you from the shop the other day. So, you got into Beacon too, huh?"

Yang nodded and muttered a curt, "Mm hm."

"That's awesome! Honestly, I'm kind of nervous." Ruby adopted a weak smile. "Are you nervous too?"

Yang shrugged. She was, but she wasn't about to say so and open the door to small talk with her sister. She wanted as little contact as possible until she had finished sorting out her own feelings. Ruby wasn't about to let that happen, Yang realized, as she launched into a lengthy monologue about her home life. Somewhere in the jumble of words she rattled off, Yang gleaned that Ruby's combat skills recently caught the eye of Beacon representatives after her interruption of a local dust shop robbery. As such, she was invited to attend the academy two years early. Yang folded her arms, mulling over the fact that her younger sister was already in Ozpin's sights. She let off an involuntary huff before she could stop herself, and Ruby immediately stammered out an apology, believing the frustration was directed at her.

"Sorry," she added. "I'm not very good at this whole meeting new people thing, so when I saw someone I knew in here, it made me a little excited."

In spite of her hidden concerns, Yang gave a half-smile, unable to hide her amusement at her sister's lovable awkwardness. "It's okay. It's not you, I just had a bad memory."

"Oh. Do you think maybe talking will take your mind off of it?"

Yang tutted, then dropped her arms in surrender. "Worth a shot. You first. What's up?"

Ruby frowned. "I'm a little nervous about getting moved ahead two years. I don't want anyone to think I'm special."

"Well, the only thing worse than being special, I'd say, is the opposite."

With a soft brush of her red-streaked hair, Ruby looked up in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"It's better than being invisible, just taking up space." The words held a strange weight as she spoke them, and Yang paused to reflect on why. She realized that this was the first time that her thoughts about all of the recent changes in her life were spoken aloud. Ruby, completely oblivious to the meaning behind them, nodded and idly tapped a foot against the floor of the ship.

"I guess that's true." In the middle of humming to herself, Ruby stopped short. "Oh! By the way, my name's Ruby Rose. What's yours? I should have asked earlier."

"Yang."

A sound coming from a holographic screen near the opposite wall seized the sisters' attention. Yang squinted at the unexpected disturbance. Some kind of news report. A man's voice echoed throughout the airship.

"The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities."

Wavy locks as orange as an open flame swept sideways in an on-screen mugshot, concealing part of the face of a smirking man. He sported several fresh bruises. His one visible eye, a bold, forest green, stared back at Yang, looking into her soul with an intensity she'd rarely seen outside of her tribe. Playful smirk aside, she could tell he was capable of effortlessly translating his negative emotions into violence. She wasn't in much of a position to judge, given her past, but at least she regretted her actions. This man seemed unapologetic, gleeful even as he stood before law enforcement. Something told her he was every bit as dangerous to society as the news reporter proclaimed.

The speaker followed up with, "If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Vale Police Department. Back to you, Lisa."

While he was speaking, Ruby's cape twitched at the edge of Yang's line of sight. Casting a quick glance sideways, she found her sister staring intently at the ginger-haired criminal, as if she recognized him. Judging by her clenched fist, the memory he stirred in her wasn't a good one. Yang raised an eyebrow, deciding to hold off on questioning Ruby until the report ended.

"Thank you, Cyril," said a female anchorwoman whose face flashed onto the screen. Her lavender hair stopped just above her neck line, and not a strand was out of place. Yang recalled seeing her once before - probably during one of the rare times she and some of the tribe members visited Mistral to trade in the underground markets. The text directly below the woman's face identified her as 'Lisa Lavender.' "In other news, this Saturday's Faunus civil rights protest turned dark when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony."

_The White Fang._

That name struck a chord in her. While the Branwen Tribe hadn't had any run-ins with the group for as far back as Yang could remember, the White Fang was a household name. She learned by word of mouth that its members had become increasingly troublesome to human settlements in Anima. Judging by the stories people told, they may well have been on their way to achieving a threat level equal to that of the tribe. She wasn't afraid, but that didn't mean she would go out of her way to cross paths with one of them. She already had enough to worry about.

"The once-peaceful organization has now disrupted-"

Lisa's broadcast flickered out of view and was replaced by a hologram. Students crowded around it from all sides. A hum behind Ruby and Yang drew their attention to the nearest wall, where an identical hologram appeared.

"Hello, and welcome to Beacon," said the person in the hologram. She was an expressionless blonde woman wearing glasses and a deep purple cape.

"Who's that?" Yang asked before she could stop herself.

"My name is Glynda Goodwitch," came the hologram's apt next words.

"Oh."

Following a speech about the honor of being selected to attend Beacon and protect peace in the world, blah, blah, blah, the hologram faded.

"Wow," Ruby whispered as she looked on in awe. She approached the window to gaze at the forest of tall, dark spires below. "Look," she said, "you can see Signal from up here!" Yang stood at her side, equally entranced, but for different reasons. "I've never been this far away from home before," Ruby said with a frown.

Yang sighed. "Me either. "But...I guess Beacon's our home now."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Ruining the moment, the nauseous boy from earlier staggered past. Although she sidestepped him, Vomit Boy stumbled in Yang's direction, activating her warrior instincts. She strafed away and, without thinking, spun him into a grapple, one arm pinned firmly behind his back as she drove him to the floor. Upon impact, he spewed a fountain of puke with the force of a water jet. Several nearby students shrieked and leapt clear of the blast. When it was over and she realized what she'd done, Yang could only back away in embarrassment. The boy stared up at her from the floor, mouth streaked with green, and groaned in a mixture of pain and confusion.

"Sorry." She chuckled, running a hand through her hair. "Reflexes."


	12. Chapter 12

Yang leaned casually against the wall, feeling oddly at peace for someone who'd just made the terrible first impression of manhandling one of her new classmates. She looked up and smiled when the boy, whose name she now knew was Jaune, emerged from the bathroom doorway, not a speck of evidence of his recent regurgitation on him.

"You all cleaned up?" she asked in as pleasant a tone as she could.

"Yeah. Thanks for staying with me."

"Oh, it's the least I could do for embarrassing you like that."

He waved her off. "Trust me, I'm used to it."

Yang frowned, breaking eye contact.

_Way to make me feel like even more of a jerk._

Deciding not to voice this thought, she strolled outside to look for Ruby with Jaune in tow. He seemed to have forgotten her transgression and taken to her like a puppy in the space of a few minutes. She couldn't help but wonder why he would want to hang around a girl who just beat him up, but shifted her focus back to her sister.

First, she saw only a sea of unfamiliar faces wielding various weapons, carrying books, and chatting about inane subjects. Then she spotted her. Ruby kicked one leg out in a repetitive motion as another girl, dressed in frilly white clothing, pointed and berated her about something. Yang was too far off to hear anything, but she forced her way through the crowd, hoping to make it in time. Halfway through her journey, a loud, resounding boom shook the landscape, and a plume of colorful smoke rose into the air. Students shouted and hurried away from the source of the spectacle, thinning the irksome masses that kept Yang from her sister. When she finally emerged into the open space where Ruby stood, the girl in white was angrily storming off, her clothes blackened and tattered. Another girl clothed in black and white garments was turning to leave just as Ruby attempted to speak with her. Anger boiled in Yang. Was every student here this rude?

She tempered her emotions, careful not to let anything set her semblance off. For that matter, why did she care so much? Ruby could take care of herself, after all. She knew how to fight, and it wasn't like Yang had even known she had a younger sister for very long, so the two weren't exactly close. Still, something tugged at her heart and made her want to give both of the random girls a piece of her mind. Jaune outpaced her while she was so wrapped up in her thoughts. He extended a hand to help Ruby, who had collapsed into a puddle of nerves and regret, to her feet.

"Aren't you the guy who threw up on the ship?" Ruby asked, flinching in hesitation. She stared at their joined hands. Before she could hurl in an amount equal to Jaune's earlier torrent, she saw Yang, and a smile bigger than she seemed capable of producing overtook her previous disgust. "Yang! Hey."

"Hi," Yang said, looking from Ruby to Jaune. She pulled out the half-sized brochure that someone handed to her as she stepped off of the airship and waved it through the air. "So, are we gonna head to the opening ceremony?"

"Yeah, sounds good," Jaune said, breaking into a steady stride.

"Let's go!" Ruby gave off far more enthusiasm than Yang felt was necessary as she trailed after their new companion.

In no time at all, it became abundantly clear that neither of the two overly cheerful students knew where they were going. Yang finally held up a hand to stop them, pulled a random student aside to ask for directions, and then led the way to the auditorium. She realized with amusement that Ruby truly did need her if she was going to survive at Beacon.

The auditorium was open and airy somehow, even as droves of students packed into the space and split off into their respective areas. Yang hung back, watching her fellow students with a detached curiosity. Ruby and Jaune seemed to be getting along well, briefly touching on Jaune's vomit episode from earlier, and even chatting a bit about each other's weapons. As it turned out, Taiyang hadn't been lying when he spoke about Ruby's obsession with the latter. Her cheeks took on a warmth Yang hadn't seen before. Her eyes became twinkling stars as she gabbed about designing Crescent Rose.

Impressive. For all of her childlike innocence and far from intimidating presence, Ruby was an inventor as well. She explained to Jaune that she crafted her sniper rifle-scythe hybrid at Signal, which was apparently the standard for every student. Compared to her sister's much smaller tantō, the thing looked unwieldy and not ideal for combat. Yang might have believed such an ignorant assumption, too, if not for the fact that she watched Ruby demonstrate the exact opposite back in Patch when she felled a tree like it was a stick of butter.

They finally reached the initiation hall, where students were streaming in and out like ants. Yang continued to watch Ruby and Jaune, but maintained a fair distance from the two, taking the time to look around at the elaborate, yet simply designed archways, door frames, and wall decor. The strange mixture of grays and browns somehow worked, painting a picture of elegance and order. Many large columns and tall windows were spread evenly throughout the room. A ring of seating looked down on the ground floor, giving Yang the impression that she'd just walked into a centuries-old church or colosseum. For all she knew, that's what this place used to be. At least, before Ozpin turned it into a classroom for ignorant sheep headed to the slaughter.

Funny she should say that, because now she was one of the very sheep she once frowned upon - and still did, somewhat. Even so, she had to admit it wasn't totally fair to blame them for being pulled into the allure of life as hunters. After all, even she, free-spirited and headstrong though she was according to everyone else in her life, found the potential for action and adventure in the life of a Huntress very appealing. While she, Ruby, and Jaune squeezed through a bottleneck between two streams of students, Yang secretly wondered whether she might have still ended up in this occupation in another life. It was useless to dwell on what-ifs, so she shoved the thought into the back of her mind and shouldered her way past a student wielding a large blade. The butt of the weapon was obnoxiously sticking out past her shoulder, preventing others from passing through.

"Geez," Yang muttered. She scoffed at the girl, who stumbled forward and flashed her a dirty look.

"Hey!" Ruby said excitedly, disrupting Yang's frustration. "Let's try to get as close as we can. Looks like Professor Ozpin is about to speak."

_Oh boy._

Yang followed along reluctantly, delivering the hardest eyeroll of her life to no one.

As bad luck would have it, they found an open spot at the front of the crowd, just a few feet from the dais taking up the majority of space in the room. A metal pole with a ring attached on top stood at its center, reaching barely above chest height. Yang couldn't exactly figure out what it was for, but she knew it must be some sort of advanced technology. Overhearing her sister going on about something, she tuned into Ruby's conversation with Jaune.

"Hang on," Yang said, her forehead crinkling into a deep dimple. "Did you just say you...exploded?"

"Yeah!" Ruby gestured widely with one arm, turning away from Jaune, who'd been listening intently to every word. "I literally exploded a hole in front of the school, and there was some fire, and...I think some ice?"

Ruby's signature panicked rambling faded from Yang's attention as she watched the girl in white from earlier approaching from Ruby's left side. Oblivious to this, the red-haired girl continued her long-winded rant. Jaune knew the moment he saw the scathing look the new girl was aiming squarely at the back of Ruby's head that this was a situation he didn't want to be in the middle of, made abundantly clear by how fast he tip-toed backward out of the impending crossfire.

"I tripped over some crabby girl's luggage, and then she yelled at me, and then I sneezed, and then I EXPLODED!" Icy blue orbs bored into Ruby with a glare that Yang almost feared might have the power to do her physical harm. Yang was about to warn her sister, but by the time she raised a hand to get her attention, it was too late. "...and then she yelled again, and I felt really, really bad, and I just wanted her to stop yelling at me-"

"You!" cried the blue-eyed girl.

Ruby jumped backward and let out a frightened few words. "Oh God, it's happening again!" Her high-pitched squeal drew the attention of a few students, but that wasn't the most surprising thing about the next few seconds.

Yang was completely unprepared as Ruby almost toppled her over, ending up in her arms in a very awkward, tangled embrace. Once she'd figure out which arms were whose, Yang carefully pried Ruby free and supported her as she stumbled before rising to full height again.

Aiming a piercing stare at the two of them, the third girl leaned forward, hands on her hips, and spat, "You're lucky we weren't blown off the side of the cliff!"

Although Yang didn't fully understand what was going on here, she didn't need much more of the picture. She knew a bully when she saw one.

"It was an accident," Ruby cried, staring back at the girl with pleading eyes. "It was an accident!"

The girl whipped out some kind of brochure and held it at eye level in front of Ruby, but gasped when it flew from her hand just as quickly as it had been unveiled. Snapping her focus off of Ruby and onto Yang, she saw that her pamphlet had been snatched away and stabbed clean through the center by Yang's shortsword, around which its remains now formed a small paper skirt. Glaring at the girl eye-to-eye, Yang swept the destroyed paper off of her weapon and watched it drift to the floor.

"What in the world?" the girl asked, mouth agape.

"She apologized," Yang stated plainly, matching the entitled brat's fierceness with her own barely subdued rage. "Leave her alone, or else you'll have to deal with me. Got it?"

"Do you _know_ who I am?" The girl in white pouted and folded her arms. Ruby was now a thing of the past, and her eyes locked solely onto Yang.

"Don't care all that much," Yang shot back, turning towards the stage to indicate the conversation was over. Ozpin and the woman from the hologram stepped up to speak at what she now realized was a microphone stand. She'd heard of them at some point in her life, but never seen one in person.

Refusing to be forgotten, Yang's newfound nuisance shrieked, "I'm Wei-"

Cutting her off before her tirade could even begin, Ozpin cleared his throat into the mic. The sound carried as the entire room full of students fell silent and snapped to attention.

"I'll...keep this brief." Ozpin pushed up his glasses and gazed out at the faces in the crowd, stopping on Yang for a second that felt longer than the rest. "You have traveled here today in search of knowledge. To hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people."

Ruby smiled widely at Yang and the bratty girl, as if she'd completely forgotten the events of only moments ago. Her thoughts on the resident prick aside, Yang's heart broke for her little sister, who clearly wanted to be a Huntress so badly, it was all she could think about. Worst of all, she wasn't the only one. Most of the other students in the room probably felt the same anxiety and excitement that Ruby did about a job that was doomed to get them killed as pawns in a war they didn't even know was being fought. Left with nothing to do but grit her teeth and pretend to smile back, Yang clenched her fists.

"But I look amongst you…" Ozpin sighed. "...and all I see is wasted energy...in need of purpose - direction."

Yang's eyes turned to slits. She tensed up, finding the headmaster's lofty persona an insult to everyone here. He was setting all of these students on a path toward their witless destruction, and yet he didn't seem to feel any guilt.

Ozpin went on, his voice measured and calm. "You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

His lies of omission were laughable, but Yang held back her temptation to scoff. Knowledge could only carry the students so far, that much was for sure.

_But if the most important knowledge of all is being withheld from them, how can they make a fair choice?_

Glynda took Professor Ozpin's place at the mic.

"You will gather in the ballroom tonight," she said. "Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready."

Ruby's expression gave way to a thoughtful frown as Ozpin walked away. "Did you think he seemed a little, I don't know...off?"

Yang nodded. "I guess so."

"It's almost like he wasn't even there."

Ruby had no idea how right she was, and Ozpin, for all of his supposed wisdom, wasn't being very subtle. He was so obvious that even their uninvited third companion, the girl with the attitude, seemed to have noticed something. She stopped talking long enough to pay attention to Ruby's words and give a thoughtful nod, interrupted only by the sight of Jaune approaching as everyone was dismissed. Yang let the awkward silence hang, not wanting to give away what she knew. She'd come to protect Ruby, not to stir up issues for her and Taiyang.

"Hey," Jaune said, waving to Ruby and Yang. He let out a nervous chuckle. "Do either of you happen to, uh, know which way the ballroom is exactly?"

The girl in white put a hand to her forehead and sighed heavily before looking up at Jaune. "Did you even read your pamphlet?" she asked, retrieving hers from a pocket in her dress. She held it open and pointed. He stared, dumbfounded, for a moment, before collecting himself in time to register the agitated scowl painted across her face.

"Not exactly," he admitted, averting his eyes. "Anyway, thanks."

"Let's go, Ruby, Jaune," Yang said, making sure to be loud enough to send the message that she wanted the new girl gone. She ignored her arrogant huff, leading the way with a hard stare that couldn't have been further from how she felt inside.

This was really happening. Tomorrow, Yang would participate in the second half of her examination phase to enroll into Beacon Academy, a place where she never thought she would end up. Least of all, with her newfound half-sister. To say she was feeling a little anxious didn't begin to scratch the surface of the truth.

"Whoa!" Jaune whispered excitedly, "do you two have any idea who that was back there?!"

Ruby and Jaune trailed behind Yang, launching into a discussion about a certain "Weiss Schnee." Apparently, she was the girl Yang just pissed off, which, while unexpected, didn't worry her. Money and status or not, she could take the girl, if it came to that.

When Ruby and Jaune finally caught up, they walked on either side of her. Their conversation gradually shifted into idle chit-chat about their hopes for the first day of school. Nothing they said pierced the fog of her overwhelming jumble of thoughts. She could see through one of the tall, narrow windows that the sky was taking on a dusky orange hue. Somewhere, under that same darkening sky, her mother and tribemates were settling in for another night of rest. Vernal was probably on first rotation for the night patrol, Shay was most likely playing dice with the guys or drinking himself into a stupor, and at about this time, someone would be filling in for Yang's usual task of sharpening the used blades dulled by another day's work.

Strange as it was to accept, Yang knew that this path she was walking meant she would no longer have a place in the Branwen Tribe. Not after tomorrow. Soon, she would be a full-fledged Huntress, and then there was no turning back.

Of course, this meant time was running out. She would have no choice but to tell Ruby the truth. To reveal her identity. The mere thought of doing so made her shudder, but there was no way around it anymore. She'd allow herself a pass this time. She could tell Ruby tomorrow morning. They already had enough to deal with this evening, so she didn't know if she had the energy for handling that whole beast of a conversation just yet anyway.

_Yeah…_

Yang grimaced, hiding a frown behind her thick blonde hair.

_Tomorrow._


	13. Chapter 13

Feeling her eyelids grow heavy as the evening sky blanketed the ballroom, Yang crashed onto her hastily laid out sleeping mat to take a moment to breathe. Beside her, Ruby was lying on her stomach, scribbling notes into a book of some kind. She playfully kicked her legs back and forth behind her, softly humming a tune. Yang noted the pink roses printed onto her white pants, and the eye mask hugging her head of red-streaked hair. These features did little to help her childlike appearance. Having seen her in action, Yang could scarcely believe the cute and innocent soul before her was the same girl who wielded Crescent Rose like a pro.

What was more, Ruby always seemed so positive about things. Even as they were mere hours away from one of the most important tests of either of their lives, she was somehow maintaining an air of cheerfulness. If nothing else, Yang was hopeful that Ruby's latent battle prowess hidden beneath all of her outward cuteness would be enough to handle whatever came her way. And if not, she had family at her side to back her up, whether she knew it or not.

"So," Yang started hesitantly, "who is that Roman Torchwick guy on the news? Do you know him or something?"

Ruby paused, her pencil poised to create the next letter in the message she was writing down.

"Yeah, but how did you know that?"

Turning toward Ruby on the soft pillow at the edge of her mat, Yang shrugged. "You seemed a little..._affected_ by that news report about him back on the ship."

"Oh." Ruby sighed, kicking her legs back and forth again. She hugged a pillow in the shape of a dog's face close to her chest. Its tongue stuck out in a playful manner, matching Ruby's own cuteness. "Actually, he's the same guy I saw the night I stopped that dust shop robbery. It kinda worries me that he's still out there."

Yang frowned up at the ceiling, then decided Ruby might mistake her expression as confirmation of the fears she just shared, so she put on a smile instead. "Well, I'm sure he'll be caught soon enough."

"I hope so." Ruby looked down and continued to write. "By the way, Yang, I wanted to ask you...why'd you step in earlier? During that whole thing with Weiss?"

Yang's heart skipped a beat as she scrambled for an answer that seemed plausible enough. Then she mentally slapped herself for not thinking of the obvious best response which, while not the entire truth, wasn't exactly a lie.

"I just don't like bullies. I can't stand by and watch someone carelessly hurt or put down others."

Ruby nodded and stole a glance at Yang. A smile crept across her lips. "Thanks, Yang."

Silence hung between the sisters as Ruby busied herself with her task. Finally, Yang couldn't take the curiosity anymore.

"What's that?" she finally drummed up the nerve to ask, her eyes cutting sideways to observe the pages of Ruby's book.

Ruby lifted her pencil from the page. "A letter to the gang back at Signal. I promised to tell them all about Beacon and how things are going."

"That's nice of you." Yang laid sideways, her head propped up against an open palm, allowing a direct view of Ruby.

"It's better than just sitting around. Other than you, I don't really know anyone here."

"Look," Yang said in what she hoped was a supportive tone, "it's only been one day. I wouldn't get too down about it."

Ruby nodded. "I'll try." She was about to write another word, but paused, her pencil hovering just out of reach of the page. She turned to her sister again, lips folded into a nervous crease. "Hey. I know we haven't really gotten to know each other yet, but thanks, Yang. You're a pretty great friend."

Yang sighed. Now was as good a time as any, even though she wanted more than anything to keep living in the lie. However, that would make her no better than Raven or Ozpin.

"Actually, about that, there's something I've been meaning to tell you."

Air lodged in Yang's throat as Ruby raised an eyebrow, trusting and innocent as ever, waiting for her to speak.

_This was hell._

Yang couldn't bear to be the reason for her sister's pain, and yet she knew it was inevitable.

"Ruby, I'm your-"

A shuffling sound from the far end of the room grabbed the girls' attention, causing Ruby's eyes to widen in recognition of a shadowed figure holding a book. Peering through the dim candlelight, Yang made out the body of the girl in black and white who had walked away from Ruby in the courtyard. Again, anger simmered within her, but it was squelched by Ruby's excited gasp.

"That girl…" Ruby whispered, eyes fixed on the mysterious student.

Deflated by this interruption, Yang postponed her confession. She glanced sideways at Ruby. "You know her?"

"Not really. She saw what happened this morning, but left before I could say anything."

Here was Ruby's chance. She spent so much time worrying about making friends instead of actively making some. Yang didn't particularly care for whoever this rude person was, but the look on Ruby's face spoke for itself. She was interested in speaking with the girl, but was too shy to initiate.

That's where Yang came in.

"Well, now's your chance!" She sprang to her feet, reached out, and yanked an unprepared Ruby up from the floor.

"Wait!" she stuttered. "What are you doing?!"

Having none of her sister's reserved attitude, Yang led Ruby over to speak with the black-haired girl. Ruby continued bickering all the way over to the wall, her pleas disregarded.

Catlike eyes accented with a touch of purple eyeshadow observed Yang and Ruby over the rim of the girl's book as she lowered it, presumably to find the source of the sounds carrying across the room. She wore a slate gray pajama blouse with white trim over a purple undershirt. Her book's binding was a matching dark gray. Finally, the look was completed by a little black bow atop her head. Her appearance should have screamed depressing and reclusive, but for some reason, Yang felt there was more to her. Something hidden beneath the surface.

The determined blonde wasted no time making introductions. Hopefully, with her help, Ruby could make some connections at Beacon. And if Yang was going to have to put herself in the spotlight a bit to help her sister out, then she would suck it up for the time being.

"I believe you two may know each other?" she prefaced, watching the girl's eyes flit from her to Ruby. The latter faced away from Yang, arms crossed in silent defiance.

"Aren't you that girl that exploded?" the bookworm asked, her voice laced with an undertone of something between detached recognition and judgment. Ruby turned to make eye contact and flushed with embarrassment.

Yang groaned inwardly at the awkward opening to their conversation.

_Seems like this is gonna be a rough one._

She helped Ruby along with a few words here and there, and eventually the discussion went from forced and uncomfortable to positive. All the better for the stranger, too. Yang had half a mind to punch her for blatantly continuing to read while Ruby tried to be friendly toward her. Any longer, and Yang would have acted on that impulse. Luckily for the girl with the book, she never made it that far. Instead, Ruby found the magic words that finally broke the ice.

"What's it about?"

The girl, who they now knew as Blake, peeled her eyes away from the pages of her novel and looked up at Ruby. "Huh?"

"Your book. Does it have a name?"

Blake's face perked up ever so slightly, and she willingly explained. "Well, it's about a man with two souls. Each fighting for control over his body."

Yang glanced down at a page of the book and read the text printed across its header. "The Man with Two Souls" was displayed prominently in print that she barely managed to decipher upside down. Those words brought a very familiar individual to mind. One who they'd only hours earlier been standing a few feet away from, listening to him give a speech he'd likely given to dozens of classes just like theirs. Classes full of students who went on to become unsuspecting pawns.

"Oh yeah," Yang added, trying her best to sound interested in the subject, for Ruby's sake. "That's...real lovely."

"I love books," Ruby said, smiling down at Blake. "My dad used to read to me every night before bed. Stories of heroes and monsters. They're one of the reasons I wanna be a Huntress."

"Why is that?" Blake asked, sounding almost amused. "Hoping you'll live happily ever after?"

"I'm hoping we all will!" Ruby piped up. "As a girl, I wanted to be just like those heroes in the books. Someone who fought for what was right, and who protected people who couldn't protect themselves."

Blake looked more hopeful than either of the sisters had seen up until now, as if simply hearing Ruby's words lit a fire in her. Yang could relate. Watching Ruby echo similar sentiments to her own was strangely empowering. All this time, she'd wrestled with whether or not her motivation for becoming a Huntress was a good one. After all, it wasn't so much a firm _plan_ as it was an abstract _idea_. Or so she thought until now. Ruby had an overwhelming sense of goodness about her that outshone all else. Despite logic and past experiences that might suggest otherwise, Yang felt she and her sister's dreams were within reach. Not childhood fantasies, but achievable goals.

"That's very ambitious for a child," Blake countered, although her face implied she, too, was affected by Ruby's conviction. She frowned down at the floor. "Unfortunately, the real world isn't the same as a fairy tale."

Faced with the counterargument Yang had suspected was coming, she couldn't wait to see how her sister would react. Surely she wasn't so naive as to think that a little hope would undo years of strife, not to mention the ever-present Grimm attacks that plagued humanity. She may have been innocent, but even she knew the threat the Grimm posed, or else she wouldn't be participating in the Beacon Academy initiation to become a Huntress.

Ruby's response was as simple and pure as everything else about her. The smile she gave Blake was like a bright light in the darkness. Yang felt all of the lingering doubt in her melt away as Ruby spoke.

"Well, that's why we're here," she said matter-of-factly. "To make it better."

Yang nodded. "Nicely said, Ruby."

Blake looked from Ruby to Yang with a smile, her focus successfully snatched away from her book, if only for the moment. "Well, Ruby, Yang, it's a pleasure to-"

Weiss stormed onto the scene before Blake could get another word out.

"What in the world is going on over here?!" she demanded to know, stalking over in a huff. Her hair was loosely draped down her back, instead of styled in its usual side-ponytail. "Don't you realize some of us are trying to sleep?!"

Before anyone could respond, her eyes darted to Yang. Weiss's eyebrows rose in surprise as their gazes met, and the realization of who she had stumbled upon hit her.

"Oh, not you again!" both girls shouted, glaring at each other from opposite sides of a frantic Ruby.

Ruby shushed Yang and Weiss, holding out both hands in a useless attempt at de-escalation. "Guys, she's right. People are trying to sleep!"

Weiss placed her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. Yang wanted to knock that holier-than-thou frown off of her face. "Oh, _now_ you're on my side!" Weiss spat.

"I was _always_ on your side!"

"Yeah," Yang added, "what's your problem with my si-uh, my friend? She's only trying to be nice!"

"She's a hazard to my health!" Weiss shouted back, flailing both arms at her sides like a spoiled brat.

Goodness, was this Weiss girl a piece of work. Yang had made up her mind to deck her, only to realize she couldn't see so much as a foot in front of her. She teetered from side to side, unfortunate enough to have been halfway through her first step toward Weiss when the room went dark. Seconds later, it registered that Blake must've grown tired of their bickering, given up trying to read entirely, and put out the candles. She didn't really blame her. In all of the commotion, Yang had allowed herself to become just as unreasonably loud and confrontational as Weiss. Worse still, she almost spilled her secret in front of everyone.

Ruby fumbled around in a panic until she found Yang's arm, which she clung to with a death grip. The sisters tottered along through the darkness back to their sleeping mats, whispering a soft apology and a goodnight to Blake as they went. Weiss left muttering something unintelligible, her fury blatantly obvious even without facial cues. Yang took solace in knowing that Blake's last act had been to irritate Weiss further. That would have to do in place of caving her snooty mouth in.

On second thought, maybe Yang did kind of like this Blake girl.

* * *

Professor Goodwitch woke everyone early the next morning by moving the curtains on the windows apart with her telekinetic semblance, focused through a riding crop that functioned as a wand. Admittedly, hers was quite the unusual weapon, even compared to others Yang had observed here. Those students who remained asleep even when bathed in piercing morning sunlight were roused by her loud announcement to follow her and the other guides to the locker room. Yang and Ruby stayed close to one another as they took their places in the procession of students. The girls were eventually joined by Jaune, who was frantically trying to re-tie the front laces on his loosening sweatpants. Yang sighed, amused by his familiar lack of coordination. In no time, everyone was hurriedly dispersing to retrieve their belongings and gear up for this morning's test. The sisters lost Jaune in the chaos, but quickly found their lockers.

The Branwen Tribe gear Yang had carefully laid out inside the locker was untouched and as shiny as ever. She wasted no time getting changed. Even with its many minor dings and scrapes from battle, the mere sight of her custom-made armor set filled her with pride and the burning will to fight. Fortunately for Yang, the second part of the exam to enter Beacon Academy was a field test, which meant she would have more than enough time to do what she did best. Ozpin provided no further information than that, according to Glynda, who had filled the students in as she led them to the locker room before departing without another word.

The bracers Yang wore reflected the bright ceiling lights, drawing her sister's attention.

"What's that you're wearing?" Ruby asked, eyes twinkling with intrigue as Yang adjusted her dragon's head-themed helmet.

"It's my battle armor."

"Wow!" Ruby inched closer, looking Yang up and down as she continued to add on pieces of the set. "Did you _make_ that armor all by yourself?"

"Well," Yang tutted, "Not exactly. I...helped with the helmet. My mom had a smith in a local village work on it, but I wanted to be a part of it too, so he let me help set the metal." Conveniently leaving out the part where Raven used her status and the intimidation of the tribe's reputation in Anima to _encourage_ the metalworker that it was in his best interest to put a rush on the job, Yang grinned and continued. "He thought I was crazy, but I already knew how to use my aura to protect myself if I got burned, so Mom didn't argue."

Ruby gasped, enrapt in Yang's story like it was one of those heroic tales from her childhood that she so fondly remembered. "Wow! That must've been really awesome! Dad never lets me help when he does dangerous stuff like that in the repair shop, even though he knows I've fought plenty of Grimm before. It's like he doesn't think I'll ever grow up."

Yang looked at the floor, tightening one of the loops on her chest plate absentmindedly as she listened. "Maybe he just worries about you. I'm sure he knows you can take care of yourself." The image of Ruby wielding Crescent Rose and annihilating a tree came to mind.

_So do I._

"I hope so," Ruby said, turning to continue removing things from her locker. She blinked and followed the movements of two students who strolled past, one of them chatting nonstop about something Yang couldn't follow.

The chatty student was a girl with bright orange hair and a blinding pink outfit that seemed to compete with her hair for aesthetic dominance. She skipped along behind a dark-haired boy, giggling about whatever it was she had just said. Her friend was very low profile by comparison. He walked by casually in a green tunic accented by blacks and grays, and light gray pants. The patterns on his clothing were reminiscent of some of the outfits Yang recalled seeing at shop stalls in Mistral. The two students couldn't have been more different from one another, yet they seemed to get along well enough. Yang couldn't help but feel they were a reflection of herself and Ruby, in a way.

"Wonder what those two were so worked up about," Ruby said absently, staring in the direction of the lockers.

Yang snapped out of her distracting thoughts and shrugged. "Who knows?" She paused to observe Ruby, who almost danced with excitement while staring into her open locker at Crescent Rose. "You seem all psyched up today."

Ruby chuckled. "Yup! No more awkward small talk or getting to know you stuff." She removed her weapon from the locker and cradled it, rubbing its shiny metal surface. "Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking."

Yang raised an eyebrow. Never before had she seen a young girl speak with such unapologetic glee about committing acts of reckless violence. She couldn't help but smile, in spite of it all. They were definitely sisters. Ruby cut off her train of thought with a question that came out of nowhere.

"Oh!" She whipped around toward Yang after holstering her weapon. "About the other night."

"Yeah?"

"You wanted to talk to me about something, right? What was it? I'm sorry, it's just...I got distracted with Blake, and then the whole thing with Weiss. I guess I just forgot."

Yang froze for a moment, letting the question fully register in her brain. Even when it did, she felt the need to process it again. The situation was slipping out of her control. She was being very obvious about that fact and needed to school her expression quickly, if Ruby's narrowed gaze was any indication.

_Crap. What do I do?_

"N-no," the armored blonde said, gesturing with both hands, "it's okay."

Ruby stared at her quizzically, head slightly tilted, as she waited for the explanation Yang dreaded.

"Look Ruby, it wasn't a big deal or anything," she lied. Catching herself, she added, "Well, it was, but it's not like it wasn't something I could've just told you any time."

"Okay. Then why not tell me now?"

Damn it. The girl was asking all the right questions. In a matter of seconds, she'd backed Yang into a corner without even knowing it. Now, Yang realized with an inward groan, she had to give some sort of satisfactory answer. Her muscles tensed up. If she continued to lie, she would be no better than her mother or the headmaster. Granted, she hadn't wanted to reveal her secret on anyone's terms other than her own, but things didn't seem to be going her way today.

_Ugh. Might as well just say it._

Resigned to the situation, Yang dropped her arms and sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Ruby's curious stare remained fixed on her, the girl's entrancing silver pupils like shining gemstones under a night sky. Hers were eyes untouched by Remnant's dark past. Eyes that might soon burst into tears, grow red with rage, or worse still, never look at Yang the same way again. In a moment, she would know which was the case.

"Well, have you ever found out something so unexpected, so crazy, that it turned your life upside down?"

Ruby scratched her head, clearly not relating at all. Yang waved frantically to dismiss her question.

"Never mind, never mind! Look, just...hmm. How do I say this? I found out something really important a few days ago, before I took the test to get into Beacon."

"Uh huh?" Ruby said, motioning for Yang to go on. Instead, she paused and looked at the floor, scouring her mind for the right words.

Oddly enough, now she knew exactly how her mother must have felt when divulging the truth to her in the first place. Not that relating to Raven meant she condoned her actions in the slightest. In her own defense, her mother had years' worth of opportunities to reveal the truth to her, but she chose not to do so in all of that time. Yang, on the other hand, had only been sitting on this information for less than a week.

"The truth is, I didn't come to your cabin in Patch just to speak to Taiyang. I came to talk to both of you...and it wasn't about the repair shop, either."

"Oh? Then what for?"

Yang opened her mouth to speak, only to hear Glynda's voice suddenly echo throughout the locker room. "Would all first year students please report to Beacon Cliff for initiation? Again, all first year students report to Beacon Cliff immediately."

The blonde looked around wildly, unsure of the source of the sound. Amused by her ignorance of technology, Ruby pointed to the ceiling, where a blue light shone underneath what Yang previously mistook for a common air vent. It was apparently a similar contraption to a microphone, but wall mounted instead. Finally, it clicked for Yang that this was the device relaying Glynda's message. Amidst the echo of her drawn out "Ohhhhhh," Yang heard Ruby stifle a giggle.

_Well, so much for telling her - again._

Not sure whether she felt more embarrassed or irritated by the interruption, Yang walked alongside Ruby to the exit with her head down. No sooner did she shake off the nervous energy she'd built up during her second almost-confession than a familiar, unwelcome voice broke the silence. Yang instantly preferred the former situation to her current one.

Students blocked the sisters' path. They were standing in front of the only exit that led to the wing of the school she and Ruby needed to go to, so taking another route was out of the question. Several rows of lockers ahead of the sisters, Weiss called out for "a little help, please" from someone named Pyrrha. Both Yang and Ruby gasped at the sight of a girl chucking a metal spear directly ahead of her. It missed Weiss by a hair - curse the girl's amazing aim - snagged Jaune's hoodie, and embedded itself into the far wall with a loud _thunk_, pinning the poor guy by the collar.

This new "Pyrrha" person shouted her apology from across the room. Unsurprisingly, Weiss sauntered past Jaune without so much as a glance his way, drawing Yang's ire once more. Pyrrha trailed after her, pulling her spear free from the wall and leaving Jaune with a few parting words that Yang was too far away to make out. Then she and Weiss disappeared through the doorway.

Yang couldn't help but wonder if she was the only sane person left on the planet. The pure disrespect she'd witnessed from multiple Beacon students in the past few hours was shocking, to say the least. What was wrong with these students? It was almost like she'd stepped into an entirely different reality. In a way, she had. Still, Yang had expected the difference in manners within the Branwen Tribe versus those at Beacon Academy to be entirely opposite what she was witnessing here. Suddenly the laughter, crass jokes, and roughhousing that she became accustomed to growing up seemed tame compared to the blatant bullying on full display since she arrived at the academy. Ruby would need her support, after all. Shaking her head in disbelief, Yang followed Ruby, who was walking toward Jaune to help him to his feet.

* * *

Every fiber of Yang's being pinged with anticipation as she looked out at the horizon from the top of Beacon Cliff. She flexed her muscles and reached around to her back to ensure the mechanisms installed there were functional. The loosely fastened metallic pieces on the armor wiggled at her touch, but resisted slightly and snapped back to their resting positions, convincing her that they weren't going to give out if she needed to use them at any point. She smacked her cheeks and her face flushed with heat. It was go time.

"What?!" Ruby cried out, stunned at Ozpin's relevation that whomever each student encountered first was to be their partner henceforth.

Yang knew she had to make sure she found Ruby first, but before that, she would need to focus on sticking her landing. She was no good to Ruby with most of her aura drained from something as pathetic as a bad fall. Then all she had to do was hurry in whatever direction she saw Ruby heading toward and reach her quicker than the rest of their peers. Piece of cake.

Per Professor Ozpin's lengthy explanation that - unsurprisingly - overtook Jaune's attempt at asking a question, the students would be launched skyward into the deadly Emerald Forest. Naturally, it was chock full of Grimm. Such was not conduct that was very becoming of a supposed role model for budding Huntsmen and Huntresses, but then, that was in keeping with what Yang expected from Ozpin. She came prepared, of course, because judging by Raven's many stories, death-defying conditions were par for the course of Beacon entrance exams. Reflecting on these memories, Yang flashed a disdainful look the headmaster's way, hoping he, or at least Professor Goodwitch, would see. She erased the expression as quickly as it appeared when Ruby turned her way, flashing an encouraging smile. Ozpin droned on, but most of the information was just filler.

Jaune yammered on about another question he had, which Yang also tuned out. She had her eyes on the competition. No one was getting to Ruby before her. She crouched, tingles of excitement running through her. The sisters exchanged confident smirks, eager for their sendoff. If there was one thing they had in common, it was a love for adventure and battle. Beside Yang, other students were sent flying from what appeared to be spring-loaded launch pads. In no time, it was her turn.

Flipping a quick thumbs up in Ruby's direction, she took off at blinding speed. Literally. Yang could hardly see a thing until her aura kicked in, keeping her eyes from watering as much so she could focus.

Gusts of wind hit in heavy waves, some colliding with her armor and breaking up upon impact, while others slid harmlessly along either side of the gleaming metal. She splayed her arms and laughed with genuine happiness in a way she hadn't since her last days of ignorant bliss back in Anima. No, happier, even. Compared to back then, now she was not only in her element, but also free from the constraints of years of lies and manipulation. Although admittedly, one could argue she'd traded one devil for another.

Thoughts of her new life gave way to concern for her sister. Yang's launch speed soon petered out. She used the temporary hangtime to glance back toward the cliff. A red blur sped past her a few degrees to the right, obliterating a black bird that was unlucky enough to be flying by at that exact moment upon its descent.

A faint "Birdy, no!" confirmed that she had a lock on Ruby. Now all that was left to do was redirect herself before she touched down.

Yang depressed the mechanism on her back's armor piece, raising her arms to guide the newly ejected pair of wings that unfolded from the main body. She felt a draft of wind carry her upward and relaxed into the motion. The armor responded well to her already established speed and arc, changing her trajectory at slight movements of her body. She angled her flight path downward again to gain speed, then used that energy to lift up again, repeating the process until she felt certain she would land near enough to Ruby at a non-lethal speed.

When she was a few feet from the ground, Yang retracted her wings and rolled to minimize the impact of her fall. She broke into a run, making a beeline for the general direction she spotted Ruby heading in. Pleased with herself, she let out a quick, "Nailed it!" Her exclamation echoed into the quiet forest, dissipating between the lush green trees.

* * *

The forest was much bigger than it looked from the cliffside. Yang realized with dread that she must have made a wrong turn somewhere, because after walking for at least twenty minutes, she was still no closer to finding Ruby. She found no tracks to follow, heard no voices nearby, and felt no refreshing breeze blowing through her hair. Silence permeated her surroundings, apart from the soft crunch of twigs and grass under her feet.

All that greeted Yang was the unchanging sea of tall trees and overgrown shrubs that even the bravest gardener wouldn't dare try to prune, for fear of being ripped apart by any Grimm lurking in the shadows. Speaking of the shadows, her own shadow was long, stretched so narrowly now that it merged with the blanket of shade cast by the wide treetops. The day was still new, but it was best not to linger. She wandered over to a clearing where she thought she sensed movement, peering around trees before taking several steps out into the open. Yang noticed a few bent blades of grass, and a faintly visible footprint in the dirt. Leaves hung limply from a disturbed branch. If this was Ruby's trail, she had to be close. Throwing aside years of training in professional hunting and wilderness survival tactics in her urgency, Yang called out into the emptiness.

"Hellooooooo? Ruby, are you out there? HELLOOOOOOO?!" Exhausted and almost at her wit's end with this stupid forest, she threw up her hands. "I'm getting bored here."

Bushes behind her rustled. Her heart jumped. Had she finally found Ruby?

"Is someone there?" Yang asked eagerly, eyeing the direction the sound came from, only to see a plain, undisturbed cluster of bushes and more trees. Still hopeful, she walked over to the natural hedges around the clearing and searched the space behind them with curiosity. "Ruby, is that you?" Her voice rose a touch higher than intended at the end of her sentence, revealing just how ridiculously happy she was to have found-

A guttural growl accompanied a set of fierce red eyes emerging from the darkness. They stared directly into Yang's soul. She nearly froze. Grimm weren't foreign to her by any means, but she was so caught off guard, she almost forgot all of the skills she honed up until now. _Almost_.

"Nope!" she deduced, instinctively double handspringing out of reach of a thick, meaty claw that attempted to shred her to pieces. Her initial shock was promptly replaced by deeply ingrained combat training. An Ursa lumbered out of its hiding spot, fueled by an all-consuming desire to take her life. She could handle the big guy no problem, except for one thing.

It wasn't alone.

Sensing the attack before it connected, Yang dodged a second Ursa that tried to 'surprise' attack her from the left. Such a sloppy attempt was just like one of Salem's mindless creatures, not realizing that loud stomps and growls would only make sneaking up on a target more difficult. She backflipped again and whipped out her tantō, judging her odds as she formulated a plan of attack. Satisfied with her chances, she regarded the two beasts with a derisive grin.

One of them launched itself at her wildly, its rage-filled abandon leading only to a solid gut punch with her free hand. The Ursa tumbled backward, succeeded by its equally brain-dead partner. Yang ducked under the incoming strike, launching herself from her crouched position to slice vertically through the monster's exposed chin. The cut was a bit shallow, and she'd meant to get the underbelly, too. No matter. She would still come out on top.

Yang delivered a swift kick to the stunned enemy, landing it squarely beside its comrade in the dirt. Both halves of its jaw hung loosely, which was an admittedly grotesque sight. She almost felt bad until she reminded herself that Grimm weren't living beings. They were animated by powers beyond her comprehension, but at the end of the day, they were little more than puppets without souls. Reassured by this thought, she fell into a more casual stance, and adopted an attitude to match.

Gesturing conversationally, she asked, "You guys wouldn't happen to have seen a girl in a red hood, would you?"

The two Ursai didn't address her sarcastic quip, choosing instead to lunge at her again.

"You could just say no," Yang added. She deftly hopped away from a sweeping slash, the light breeze that blew through her hair a silent testament to how close she had come to taking a hard hit. Yang backflipped yet again, creating distance as the Ursa followed up with another swipe aimed at her torso. Its second attempt didn't connect either, only enraging the roaring mass of black and white even further.

She couldn't help but find the two monsters' cries of frustration amusing. Creatures of darkness, born to wipe humanity from the face of the planet, were having a tantrum over not being able to hit a teenage girl. If that wasn't the funniest thing she'd ever-

Yang honed in on a single, solitary strand of bright blonde hair that twisted in lazy arcs through the air. The strand drifted slowly past the bridge of her nose, making her go cross-eyed following its path. Her blood rose to a simmer, then an all-out boil. Yang closed her eyelids and balled her fists, waiting as aura poured out of a reservoir within her, filling her with strength equal to her barely-restrained rage. The Ursai emitted confused growls, but these sounds faded into the back of her mind. She could think of only one thing now.

_**Revenge.**_

Both of Yang's eyes shot open. The air around her sizzled with pent-up energy. Her hard stare dug into the two Grimm with a ferocity that seemed to make even these soulless creatures shudder. They knew Death Herself had come knocking, and almost seemed ready to run. Either way, it didn't matter. They weren't going to make it another step.

The soil beneath her feet gave a little, and she sank a good half-inch into the dirt simply by digging in her heels. Then she took a battle stance with her arms at angles by her sides. A wave of heat burst outward around her. The grass and bushes nearby were unlucky enough to be in the wrong place when her semblance activated, singeing everything in her immediate vicinity to a crisp. Yang dashed forward with an inhuman level of stoic fury, unsheathing both her primary and secondary blades. She cried out when she took her first swing, slicing away at one of the Ursa with all the ease of carving up a tender cut of meat. With every stroke, she cut deeper and deeper into the now-helpless creature's underbelly. When she was finished, it looked indistinguishable from shredded beef. At least, apart from the billowing black smoke seeping out of its wounds in thick tendrils.

Giving one final shout, Yang thrust her blades forward, delivering a clean cross-cut slice to the Ursa's neck. Its body was flung backward through multiple unfortunate trees, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. The severed head it left behind toppled to the ground next to Yang. She whirled around toward the second spawn of Salem, barely hearing the approach of its heavy paws over the noisy creak of one of the fallen trees.

"What?!" she demanded. "You want some, too?"

_So be it._

It didn't matter that this Ursa in particular wasn't responsible for the damage to her hair. It would fall just like its partner had.

A loud swish cut through the Ursa's animalistic roar. The creature seized in place, its jaw locked in an open-mouthed stupor as a wet thud sounded, snapping Yang out of her haze of blind anger. She knew that sound well: metal tearing into flesh and bone.

_Great. More company._

The Ursa went limp and crashed to the ground, revealing its mysterious attacker. Blake stood victoriously behind the fallen beast. She yanked something loose from the middle of its back, greeting her blonde classmate with a smile. The object she held was a small hooked weapon head at the end of a black ribbon. Yang hadn't seen anything like it before, and couldn't stop staring at the thing. Her curiosity was matched only by her disappointment not to have found Ruby before Blake found her. Even so, there was nothing she could do about it now. Ozpin was watching, and he and the other teachers would know if she broke the rules. That aside, Blake had lent her a hand when she could just as easily have walked away. Maybe she was a better person than Yang first gave her credit for in the courtyard. Besides, someone who pissed Weiss off so royally the other night - pun intended - couldn't be all that bad.

Yang shrugged, feigning indifference. "I coulda taken him."


	14. Chapter 14

An obnoxious rush of wind came from out of nowhere and swept Yang's long blonde locks into her face. She sputtered, wiping away her hair and searching the space around her for Blake, who was stalking forward a few paces ahead, seemingly oblivious to her teammate's plight. Shockingly, Blake seemed to know where they were supposed to go, but there was no way she possibly could. Perhaps she just had that sort of an air about her - always calm and collected. Still, Yang noted, the girl had hardly said a word their entire trip. They must have trekked through the Emerald Forest for at least fifteen minutes by now, with no sign of any of the relics Ozpin challenged them to retrieve. In all of that time, Blake spoke only to call out the occasional Grimm trying to rip their throats out. These obstacles, while significant, weren't enough of a threat on their own to overpower the two warriors' combined strength. The frightening possibility occurred to Yang that maybe there truly weren't any relics hidden around this forest. What if it was all a wild goose chase set up to cull those who couldn't hack surviving in Grimm-infested territory from the incoming class?

_That'd be pretty screwed up_.

It was a screwed up idea, sure, but that kind of reckless experimentation was exactly the kind of thing she was all but convinced the Professor was capable of, given his actions so far. Hell, even the whole ploy of inviting Ruby to attend Beacon was just a roundabout way of roping in another silver eyed sheep he could bring to the slaughter. Yang snarled up at where she believed the cliffside overlooked their location. She stomped angrily along, leaving a series of flattened leaves in her wake as she traced the path of Blake's much lighter footsteps. She wasn't going to let anything like what happened to Summer Rose happen to Ruby, no matter what.

"Blake," she finally called out.

The raven-haired girl spun around, her catlike eyes stopping on her new teammate.

"How much further?" Yang probed. "I would've thought this forest temple place wouldn't be that hard to find."

Blake shrugged. "I'm not sure."

Yang could hardly believe her ears, and her mouth involuntarily dropped open in surprise. "What?! Seriously?"

Blake nodded. "I was just looking for places that seemed unusual. I know as much about this forest as you."

She spoke with such indifference, as if their lives hadn't been on the line this whole time. Unbelievable!

"Really? I thought you were taking us somewhere specific!"

"I never said that."

_Fair, but still. Ugh!_

Yang sighed. This was going to be a long day, that much was for sure. Well, no better time to put her wilderness survival skills to the test and track down this stupid temple. She knelt low to the ground and examined the dirt closely, focusing on her singular task. Blake became little more than background noise to the primary goal of finding their destination. With any luck, she could possibly run into Ruby, as well. Wherever she was out there, Yang hoped she was okay.

* * *

A biting cold had set in so deeply, it almost felt one with the landscape, bringing the vibrance and motion life usually graced the lands with to a standstill. Trees stiffened and cracked with every ragged breath spewed by the chilly breeze. Long, sweeping plains saw little movement, as the local fauna elected to stay out of the harsh weather as best they could. Clouds rolled across the sky slowly, bringing with them an all-consuming shade that was so overpowering, Taiyang Xiao Long nearly forgot it was still daytime. He stood by the mailbox outside of his cozy, homely cabin, rifling through the deliveries quickly despite the dangers of freezing himself out here. His snug, baby blue robe may have been old, but it did the job of insulating him from the weather. Tai kicked one of his slippers into the dirt, making sure his foot stayed tucked safely inside, and flipped aside an envelope addressed to "R. Branwen" with a grunt of disinterest. The moment he laid eyes on the next piece of mail, however, he could only smile with a warmth that put the crackling fireplace inside to shame. His chest swelled with tension.

The name scrawled in the top left corner of the envelope was to blame: "Ruby Rose."

Taiyang eagerly tore into the neatly packaged message from his daughter, taking special care not to damage the letter inside. Finally, he yanked the prized sheet of folded paper free, caressing it with an adoring grin before unfolding it to its full size. He didn't even mind the cold anymore. His sole interest had been the paycheck due back to him from Signal Academy, but that was merely an afterthought to Taiyang now. To say he'd been worried sick about Ruby going to Beacon Academy this year and being so far away from him would be a tremendous understatement, but this letter was good news for two reasons. First of all, it meant she was alive! Not that he believed otherwise. Nonetheless, the proud father was relieved to no longer feel perpetually stuck in parental overdrive concocting worst-case scenarios, which had been the case from the moment Ruby stepped onto the airship to Beacon. Secondly, the smooth-textured envelope bore the raised-print Beacon Academy sigil, which meant she had arrived there.

All that was left now was to find out what his little girl was up to at his team's old stomping grounds. He pored over every detail of the letter with what started as enthusiasm, but soon turned to stunned silence. In fact, he was so taken aback, Taiyang scarcely registered the faint whisper of something moving against the harsh winds. He forcibly pulled his attention away from Ruby's letter long enough to spot a tiny black speck floating along, growing bigger as it closed in on the clearing where he stood. The speck enlarged to about the size of a fist, wings flapping as it arced downward, and finally landed gracefully beside him. Tai observed the crimson-eyed black bird with a narrowed gaze.

"Qrow," he spat, half-annoyed, half-apathetic, "you're back?"

The bird writhed and expanded unnaturally, warping into the familiar form of a dark-haired man with a bit of stubble. Tai's former teammate winked, waving wordlessly, and dusted off his pants.

"Hey Tai," Qrow said. His disheveled cape rippled lazily in the breeze.

"I thought you were supposed to be away on that mission for Oz."

"Yeah, technically I am. This next assignment's gonna be a long one, so I came to check in one last time. Told Ruby I'd swing by to look after Zwei when I could. She knows how busy you get."

Taiyang's face flushed red and he turned on Qrow with a huff. "I _do_ feed him!" he insisted, puffing out his chest as if Qrow and Ruby's secret agreement had the most offensive implications ever.

"Not often enough." Qrow rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I'll only be a few minutes. Where is he?"

Tai snapped his fingers, cutting through the intermittent howls of the wind and grabbing his teammate's attention. "Hang on."

Midway through a heel-turning motion, Qrow paused and looked back. "What's up?"

"Just got a letter," Tai explained, leading Qrow inside when a cold breeze hit again and made both men shiver.

The unexpected visitor's alcohol-laced breath entered before he did, earning an inward groan from Taiyang. Qrow quickly shut the door behind them. It creaked jarringly, and then they were left with only the sound of wood burning in the heated cabin. The soft glow of the fireplace bathed them in rejuvenating warmth as the weary father slipped out of his shoes and sank into the couch. Qrow leaned against a wall and crossed his arms.

"A letter? Who's it from?"

Taiyang sighed heavily, pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose. "Ruby. She wrote something to you in it too. But that's not all." He started to explain, then thought better of it and held out the envelope instead. Qrow took it from his outstretched hand with visible confusion. "It's better if you see for yourself."

The next couple of minutes were spent in silence as Taiyang watched Qrow's face contort into a whirlwind of different expressions, before finally settling on one that was somewhere between masked pain and complete cluelessness. He could relate. The letter slipped out of Qrow's slackening grip and dropped to the floor with a gentle flap. Rather than discuss the letter, Qrow resolved to go care for Zwei first. Clearly, he needed time to wrap his head around the letter's contents. When he returned, Taiyang lit the fuse of the next information bomb.

"Qrow, there's something I haven't had the chance to tell you," he began tentatively, relaxing his posture in hopes of lessening the emotional weight of his news. A futile gesture, of course.

Qrow scratched his stubble and stared back with stunned curiosity. He still needed to process the information in Ruby's letter, and Taiyang was about to give him even more food for thought. Per usual, Qrow resolved to drink himself numb as Tai continued the explanation.

"The other day...Yang visited me."

The pseudo-choking sound that came afterward startled Tai out of his casual position on the couch.

"She _what?_" Qrow exclaimed after almost spitting up some of whatever he had just taken a swig of and taking a moment to breathe.

"Yeah. She came by to meet us. Looks like Raven wasn't bluffing about telling her about us. Also, get this. Apparently she's no longer with the Branwen Tribe."

"As in, for good?"

A subtle nod.

"And how did Raven feel about that?"

Tai shrugged. "Yang didn't say. I tried to get her to stick around, did my best to be a good host…" He sighed, dropping his head in defeat. "But she took off before I could say much more to her. Then according to this letter, turns out she's at the school with Ruby."

Qrow paused briefly, then asked, "Do you think Ruby knows?"

"Doesn't seem so. All I know is what you just read. There's no telling why Yang hasn't said anything yet." Taiyang stood up, tying a knot to tighten his robe's waistline. "I've gotta go down there tomorrow! I could get someone to cover my classes at Signal."

"Go down where?"

"To _Beacon_, Qrow. I'm worried about them. What if-"

"Tai, come on. Just go to work. What's gonna happen to them? I mean, I get how big of a deal this is, but something tells me Yang knows how to handle herself, growing up with the tribe and all. If anything, I'm more worried about Ruby."

Tai raised an eyebrow. "Worried about Ruby? Why?"

"Kid's got a good heart. She's strong, but she's still a kid. A little on the naive side."

Nodding at Qrow's words, Tai looked at the orange glow of the fire against the floorboards with a sad smile. "Yeah, well...we all have to learn in our own time, I guess. But Oz…"

"If I know anything about Oz, it's that he'll be fair to Ruby and Yang."

"Fairness isn't what concerns me." Tai threw a hard stare his guest's way. "You know that."

Rubbing the back of his head and averting his eyes was all Qrow seemed capable of, faced with Tai's intense expression. The look said more than either of them dared to put into words. Qrow hopped up from his seat, stowed his flask, and made his way toward the front door.

"Either way, I think they'll be fine. Don't hover. I hear kids hate that these days."

"So did we," Tai replied, chuckling at a stray thought, and finding Qrow was doing the same.

They awkwardly locked gazes. Their eyes lit up with mutual recognition of a happy memory, but both huntsmen quickly adopted plain expressions. Tai had no time to say anything else before Qrow delivered a raspy, "Be seein' ya, Tai," and disappeared through the door, his tattered cape trailing behind him. One last gasp of cold air wafted into the room before he shut the door behind him.

* * *

Once she shut out all distractions, it actually wasn't all that hard to find the forest temple. Yang and Blake trudged up a hill and stood atop its peak, looking out over the ruins of the temple with silent curiosity.

"Looks like this is it," Yang announced. Blake nodded and led the way down the slope.

The temple ruins were as expected - a collection of old, cracked stone blocks. Dust, debris, and plantlife gathered anywhere they could find purchase. Every structure looked like it might fall to pieces at the slightest touch, but somehow the ring of waist-high pillars and circular platform that supported them still stood after so long.

The girls split up to investigate. Yang strode along the left side of the temple, eyeing several chess pieces positioned at the center of the pillars. These must have been the so-called 'relics' they were to collect. Not every pillar held a relic.

"Chess pieces?" Blake asked from the opposite end of the platform.

"Some of them are missing," Yang pointed out, hands on her hips. "We weren't the first ones here."

"Well, I guess we should pick one."

_Good idea._

The ex-tribal princess wanted to get this silly task over with so that she could get back to tracking down Ruby. Blake didn't seem to be in too much of a hurry, but there was no way anything was going to slow Yang down. She snatched up the nearest relic, an exquisitely crafted golden pony's head, and walked over to Blake. Once her teammate had given the item a thorough examination and her nod of approval, Yang marched off in the direction of Beacon Cliff.

* * *

Rays of light struck the encampment as the morning sun finished rising over the treeline, and with the dawn came a flapping of wings. Qrow flew in a serpentine motion to avoid the densely packed trees, finally emerging above a tall, wooden palisade. He leaned left to put himself on a path toward the empty patch of dirt that separated the Branwen Camp from the forest, then alighted a few yards away near the guards.

_Only two?_

Raven had certainly gotten lax.

He saw a lanky guy with dirty blond shoulder-length hair toting a shotgun. The man looked a little familiar, but his stubble was throwing the recognition off. Qrow looked from him to the second person, Flora. He remembered her as a teenager, and now she was a woman in her own right. Her bronze armor left little to the imagination, and she seemed just as carefree as he remembered. She sat atop a lookout post, scanning the area with a spyglass while making jabs at her fellow guard, then laughing at her own humor. Qrow finally realized the blond man was Shay, a boy who used to enjoy stealing petty items from villagers during the tribe's raids. He didn't seem to have grown out of that mentality, if his perpetual scowl was any indication.

Flora passed right over Qrow, who stared back at her from his perch on a wide tree stump. A moment later, she took advantage of Shay turning to check his blind spot for activity and tossed a pebble at him. It bounced off the side of his head and landed in the dirt. When he cried out, jumped, and fired an accidental gunshot at his feet, a few birds scattered, providing perfect cover. Qrow lifted himself high into the air, just close enough to the other 'real' birds that he wouldn't stand out, and then flew past a hysterically laughing Flora and a flustered, grumbling Shay.

Fate must have smiled upon the disguised Huntsman, because the very person he was here to see came rushing out of the largest tent, hand on her blade sheath, and shouted at the other tribe members peeking out of their tents to go back to bed. Raven investigated the noise outside, and Qrow idled by the steps of her tent and watched in silence as she ranted at the two guards. Her furious shouting ended with a curt order directed at Flora, whose pale-faced fright gave way to another stifled giggle the moment her boss was out of earshot. Qrow craned his neck up at his sister while she strode back toward her tent. He wondered how long it would take her to recogni-

"How long are you going to sit there pretending to be concealed?" Raven spat. She scoffed and ascended the steps. "Go ahead and get whatever this is over with," she added, lifting a flap of the tent to make room for his entry.

Qrow flew into the tent and morphed back into his human form, turning to meet her gaze. She looked highly unamused, and was busy detaching her gear and setting it aside on a table.

"Well?" she prompted. "If you hadn't noticed, I'm busy. Honestly! Waking me up early? Making us think we're under attack over a cheap prank? Ugh. How far has our tribe fallen?"

Splaying his arms, Qrow tutted. "I mean, you can't really blame her. There isn't all that much to do sitting there for hours. I used to do the job too, you know." He ignored Raven's simmering glower. "Anyway, I came with some news."

She regarded him quietly, visibly holding back a million questions. "Go on."

"Did you get my message?"

"Yes." She fished around in a pocket and revealed a scroll. It was caked with dust and far from in mint condition. "Damn you Qrow, making me use this old thing."

Qrow smiled, pleased by the fact that she still kept the small piece of their past days as a team.

"I admit," she continued as she put the scroll away, "I didn't expect you to arrive this early in the morning. I assumed you'd be drunk."

He chuckled. "I am. Well, a little buzzed, but this was too important."

Raven smirked. "Oh? Important enough that you chanced drunkenly flying into a tree on your way here?"

"Oh, ha-ha." Qrow sighed and stretched his arms, then cracked his neck. Being a bird truly left him feeling like he'd been trapped in a box for hours, and to this day, he wasn't quite used to the stiffness that always set in. "I saw Tai a little while ago. He told me Yang left the tribe."

She looked away, but didn't reply. She didn't need to.

"Here's the kicker, Raven. She's at Beacon."

Raven's wide-eyed stare zeroed in on Qrow.

"With Ruby. Taking the entrance exam. Ruby doesn't seem to know they're family."

"What?!" Raven exclaimed, slapping a hand on the table. "How could she...after everything I told her, she still…? Wow."

"Crazy, right?" Qrow rubbed the back of his head. "It's almost as if history's repeating itself, don't you think? The allure of Huntsman life must be in our blood."

His sister exhaled heavily and waited a beat before responding. "You know this is different. That's not why we went."

"Whatever. Look, I just thought you might want to know."

Raven shrugged. "And why would I need to know that?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe I thought a loving mother might want to know where her runaway daughter's gotten off to? That she's safe?"

She put the last of her gear aside and stood across from him. "Of course Yang's okay. She was trained by _me_, after all."

Qrow rolled his eyes. "Ever the gloater."

"Ever the drunk-off-his-ass lapdog for Ozpin."

"At least I didn't abandon-" Qrow raised his fist, then caught himself before being baited into another argument, and quickly withdrew. "Well, that's all I came to tell you."

"What did you expect me to say? After I told her the truth about Tai, Ruby, and Summer, she left. Apparently she wants nothing to do with me or the tribe anymore."

"Doesn't that bother you at least a little?

"Why should it?" Raven growled. Qrow noted that she was deflecting, but allowed his sister her venting session. "Yang made her choice. Clearly none of the lessons I taught her, or any of my warnings, sank in. I told her about Oz, about Salem and the Maidens, and even that I have the-" She broke off, earning a confused stare from her brother, then continued. "Anyway, if she wants to die fighting for a useless cause, it's her funeral. With any luck, she'll come to her senses and leave that school for mindless sheep behind."

Qrow huffed. "If you ask me, she's finally seeing this place for what it is."

"Spoken like a true traitor."

He stepped past her, rather than giving in to the name calling.

"I've got to head out. Got another mission. See ya when I see ya."

"Have a nice flight, _brother_."

The way she said that last word sounded much less warm and caring than it should have. Qrow's heart sank. The old Raven he used to know and admire, if she was still in there somewhere, was buried so deeply, he feared she might never return. He shifted into bird form and took off through the opening in the tent, doing his best to refocus onto the mission.

* * *

It was one thing after another with this life, Raven opined inwardly, angrily tossing her bandana across the room. Damn, she really needed to work on her temper. News or no news, getting so worked up that she almost let it slip to Qrow that she was a Maiden? That was beyond unacceptable.

She paused when she sensed movement beyond the tent entrance. If it was an enemy, they'd sure picked a horrible time to engage her. A head peeked through, eyes closed, and asked permission to come in.

"Enter."

In walked the reconnaissance team's top performer, already fully suited up for another run.

"Going out early?" Raven asked, turning her attention to Vernal.

"Not just yet. I'm waiting on the others. I thought I heard noise in here."

"A little birdy brought me some news," the tribe leader quipped, stepping back to make room for her next visitor.

"Your brother?"

"That's correct. It seems our little dragon has gone off to meet her family. What's more, she's enrolled at none other than Beacon Academy."

Vernal nearly stumbled in surprise. "What? But you already told her all about the-"

"Yeah, I know. Somehow, even knowing what she knows, she's decided to enroll as a student there. She's taking the entrance exam as we speak." Raven stalked to the other end of the tent, arms folded and lips tightened into a thin line. "Maybe Tai put the idea in her head," she muttered. "I wouldn't put it past him."

Glancing back toward her comrade, Raven was surprised to see a softened, almost sad expression staring back at her.

"What?" the irritable leader demanded.

"You know, if you need some time to process this, or just to rest, I can run point on the-"

"I'm fine. We'll all be fine. Yang attending Beacon changes nothing. This tribe is a family, and we still need to look out for each other, with or without her or my brother. Maybe she'll come to her senses, but if not, so be it."

"Okay…" Vernal trailed off, sounding uncertain. Her face hardened and she bowed herself out, pausing just before she reached the exit. She turned back. Raven waited, eyebrows raised in expectation.

"About Yang," the girl ventured, matching her mentor's intense gaze. "Does she know that you were the one who killed April?"

Raven looked away, grudgingly admitting to herself that the involuntary reaction probably said all Vernal needed to know.

* * *

Jaune had just fallen flat onto his ass, compliments of his teammate, Pyrrha Nikos, after being named leader of Team Juniper. Yang felt for him, but knew it was best not to get onstage and help him up. That would only compound the embarrassment he was no doubt feeling right now. A cascade of laughs echoed from the rafters down to the stage in the auditorium. Notably, Pyrrha hadn't meant to knock Jaune down. Only to give him an encouraging shoulder tap. Intentions aside, she could do nothing more than stand by with an anxious smile amidst the situation she had created.

Yang wanted to shout at the girl to help him up. Anger roiled in her, but she bit it back and simply waited. What seemed like decades later, Jaune's teammates finally came down off of their victory high long enough to help him get to his feet, and moved offstage. Looking down from the wide dais, Professor Ozpin turned to Ruby, Yang, Weiss, and Blake, nodding toward them to silently indicate they were next up.

Ruby danced and squealed. "We're up!"

Yang shook her head and smiled, following behind Weiss and Blake as her younger sister took the lead at the front of the procession. Ruby threaded her way through the masses of people onto the stage, followed by Weiss, then Blake, and finally Yang. The four of them turned to face Ozpin and awaited his ruling. Sweeping the room out of habit, Yang found just about every face in the crowd was glowing with excitement and wonder. The previous students onstage either looked much the same as the audience did now, appeared to take silent pride in their accomplishment, or were flat-out paralyzed by stage fright. She wondered whether she was the only one in the room right now who didn't feel honored to attend Beacon Academy.

Ozpin cleared his throat to address the four girls. A slick film of sweat moistened Yang's face, but not because of Oz. A realization had just hit her like a punch to the face. In all of this time, she still hadn't found a moment to pull Ruby aside and tell her the truth. Fighting a giant Nevermore and Deathstalker, reasonably, were foremost on her mind in the Emerald Forest. Ever since making it out of there, she'd been so relieved not to be in constant danger of dying anymore that she hadn't stopped to think about following up with Ruby. And now...

"Ruby Rose," Ozpin began. Time slowed almost to a stop for Yang, and she begged for anything other than what she knew was about to happen. The clamoring crowd quieted a bit, intensifying the gravity of the moment.

_Please, don't let this happen. Not like this._

"Weiss Schnee."

The buzz of the crowd became a touch louder at the mention of Weiss's name before dying down again.

"Blake Belladonna."

Yang winced. This was it.

_Please don't, please don't, please-_

"Yang Branwen."

Across from Yang, Ruby blinked, looking at Professor Ozpin with widened eyes. For a moment, Yang thought the news might not have registered. Ruby seemed to be stuck in place, her mind no longer keeping pace with her body. "Yang...Branwen?" she whispered, slowly switching her focus from the headmaster to Yang as he calmly continued the girls' team announcement. "But that's just like…"

She was obviously thinking about her uncle, connecting the dots. The cornered blonde dreaded what came next as she and her sister's eyes met. Unable to hold Ruby's gaze, she looked at the floor instead, all of the blood rushing to her face.

For the first time in her life, Yang prayed for a miracle.


	15. Chapter 15

Yang was screwed. Utterly screwed.

All of the time and effort she spent keeping the truth from spilling out under the wrong circumstances, crafting how she was going to break the news, all wasted.

Her teammates were either showering or getting ready for bed, interacting with her only when absolutely necessary. In her younger sister's case, that seemed to be not at all. Although they had no personal stake in any of the brewing conflict, Weiss and Blake could sense the insanely high tension between the sisters, and kept their distance. Yang couldn't really blame them for their choice.

Interrupting her racing thoughts, Ruby came around the corner out of the bathroom's entrance. Her skin was aglow with a nice, healthy sheen. At least, judging by what little Yang could make out, given the pile of rolled white towels stacked high enough to obscure Ruby's face. Her exposed arms and legs still held beads of moisture soaked up from the steamy showers. In the back of her mind, Yang couldn't help but wonder if Ruby loaded herself up with towels on purpose just to avoid making eye contact. Was she really that upset with her?

Ruby set the towels down on a nearby surface and systematically stacked them in a drawer. A burgundy robe was tied snugly around her small waist over her usual pajamas. She never once turned to look at Yang. Yang sat awkwardly, legs crossed on her chosen bed, still not sure what to do next.

_Here goes nothing._

There was no point in delaying, so Yang opted for the quickest, but most uncomfortable, solution. When her sister stood and kicked the drawer shut, she threw caution to the wind and spoke up.

They started to say each other's names simultaneously, paused halfway, then stared at one another. The running water hissing out of the bathroom faucet in the background was the girls' only respite from the silence that claimed them. With considerable effort, Yang managed to level her voice.

"You go first," she offered.

Ruby nodded and cleared her throat. Her thin, petite figure straightened like a beanpole. Yang got the feeling Ruby had practiced this moment in her head. Maybe even dreaded it, like her older sister.

"Yang, like I said before, I needed some time to think about all of this."

"Yeah, and?"

"And I'm done now. I have a question for you."

"Sure," Yang said, stiff-necked with anticipation. "Anything."

"Okay…"

Ruby took careful steps toward Yang and sat at the foot of her bed.

"Who exactly are you to my Uncle Qrow?" she started, wasting no time. "Are you his daughter or something?"

"N-no!" Yang stammered. "Nothing like that."

"Then who are you, Yang?"

Yang quietly observed her younger sister. Ruby's usual meekness had taken a backseat to a more focused, purposeful attitude. She wanted answers. The time had finally come to have 'the talk.' Yang let out a shaky breath.

"I grew up traveling around, mostly on the continent of Anima with my mother and the rest of our tribe. We were always on the move, fighting Grimm and…." Yang pushed past the sinking feeling of guilt welling up in her. She needed to get this all out, or she might lose her chance at mending things with Ruby. "...and collecting resources to survive. We'd set up camp anywhere that seemed safe and out of the way of major settlements. Over time, the Branwen tribe made a name for itself. We were respected and feared everywhere we went."

"Feared?" Ruby's eyes shimmered with curiosity. "But why?"

"Your uncle didn't tell you, did he?" The look on her sister's face spoke for itself, so Yang didn't wait for an answer. "The Branwen tribe gained their reputation by leading Grimm toward weaker villages, then raiding what was left behind."

Ruby gasped. "What? But that's-"

"Wrong?" The blonde nodded solemnly, breaking eye contact. "Yeah, I know. It may have taken me too long to realize that, but a few days ago, something finally woke me up." Yang fished around in a pocket and whisked out the weathered locket her mother had given her. She passed the item to Ruby, who gently accepted it and clicked open the clasp. While Ruby gazed at the old photos inside, Yang continued her explanation. "I found out that I had more family out there somewhere than just my mother and her brother who defected from the tribe years ago. I also had a father named Taiyang, and a younger half-sister."

Ruby swallowed hard as their eyes met. "Me."

The sisters snapped out of a moment of heavy silence when Weiss and Blake emerged from the bathroom, staring wordlessly at their teammates. They'd already put on fresh clothes, but hadn't dared to walk out into the main room, probably for fear of interrupting whatever they thought was going on.

"Oh!" Ruby piped up, copping a nervous smile. "Weiss! Blake! We were just, um…"

"Talking." Yang finished for her, bounding up from the bed and walking to one of the dressers where she'd stored some of her belongings.

"So you two aren't mad at each other anymore?" Blake inquired, adjusting her black bow.

Weiss absently picked at her nails, but her ears perked up, betraying her interest in the answer to Blake's question.

"_Mad_?" Ruby scoffed and waved off Blake's concern, letting out a weak laugh. "Who was mad? We just, um…" Giving up the ruse, she sighed. "Okay, so maybe we needed to clear the air about some stuff. But we're fine now."

Yang flinched. She was happy to hear those words, but hoped Ruby actually meant them and wasn't just trying to defuse the awkwardness in the room.

"Right, Yang?" her sister's small voice prompted.

Turning to Ruby, Yang decided to trust her and returned her smile. "Yeah."

Ruby wasn't Raven. She wasn't Oz. She was just a simple, innocent little girl wrapped up in schemes she had no clue about. She was every bit as much a victim of circumstance as Yang was, if not more. If anyone deserved the benefit of the doubt, it was her. Still, Yang felt a tinge of doubt tickling the back of her mind that she couldn't quite shake.

Killing the warmth of the moment, Weiss cocked a hip and sighed in exasperation.

"Well, if you two are done bickeri-" at the sight of Ruby's mouth opening to correct her, the young Schnee amended her statement, "-_clearing the air_, then I'd like to go and find something to eat before it gets too late."

Blake shrugged. "I'll come with you," she said.

Yang rolled her eyes. She'd have to get along with Weiss eventually, somehow. Best to get an early start at trying to figure this infuriating creature out. "Me too," she forced out with veiled insincerity. Weiss blinked twice, staring at Yang with obvious surprise.

"O-okay then," the young Schnee announced triumphantly, turning on her heel toward the door to the hallway. "Let's move, team!"

Narrowing her eyes, Yang said, "You're not the team leader, you know." She didn't need to see Weiss's face to know it was contorting in distaste. She may have had to learn to work with her, but that didn't mean she couldn't take pleasure in getting under her skin from time to time.

"W-whatever!" Weiss retorted. "Let's just go."

Ruby pumped a fist in the air. "Yeah! Team RWBY's first mission!"

Much less enthusiastically, Blake pointed out, "We're just going to get food, Ruby."

"Yeah…" Ruby deflated at her teammate's words before excitedly countering with, "but it sounds way cooler when you call it a mission!"

Weiss clicked her tongue, saying nothing.

"Well," Yang said with a shrug, "can't argue with that logic."

It was at this moment that, for the first time since she'd known them, Blake, and even _Weiss_, smiled and laughed with genuine amusement. Ruby joined in, leaving Yang to wonder whether the innocent girl realized her older sister's comment was a joke or not. The blonde looked on in disbelief at the rare sight of the three of them getting along. Maybe this team thing really could work out. She joined her new comrades by the door.

"Oh no, my slippers!" Ruby yelped, pausing mid-walk halfway across the room. She was still barefooted from her shower. In an instant, Ruby vanished in a flurry of rose petals, leaving her robe on one of the beds, and did a quick cycle of the room in the form of a red blur. She reappeared in front of her comrades, triumphantly waving a pair of comfortable-looking slippers that were as red as her scythe. She put them on and tapped her heels together in excitement. "Okay, ready to go!"

Yang whistled and shook her head, smoothing out her hair that had been blown in a million different directions by Ruby's semblance. "I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing you do that."

Team RWBY filed out of the room one by one, led by an overconfident Weiss, who marched off without another word. Yang slowed her pace, falling into step with Ruby at the rear of the group. Oblivious to this, Blake calmly strolled along, staying on Weiss's heels as she read a small book she had somehow produced from beneath the folds of her clothing.

"Hey, Ruby?" Yang muttered, unsure how to act around her sibling now that the beans were spilled. She hesitated, but was relieved when Ruby spoke without the slightest hint of hostility.

"What is it?" Ruby's silver eyes sparkled like little gems, only adding to her charm.

"Is it true? What you said back there. That we're fine now?"

"Of course it is," Ruby stressed, stopping to face her. "Why wouldn't we be?"

"I don't know. I just, uh…" Yang ran a hand through her long hair, hoping doing this would calm her down like it usually did, but no such luck. "I guess I just assumed you'd be mad. I mean, I kept this from you instead of just letting you know who I was right away."

Yang went rigid when Ruby reached out without warning and gently rubbed her shoulder. Back in the Branwen Tribe, displaying emotion was a rare thing set aside only for mourning the fallen, or for births or marriages. Once her initial shock subsided, something in Yang softened. This gesture didn't feel quite so strange coming from Ruby. If anything, Yang was more concerned by how _normal_ it felt.

"I'm not mad at you," Ruby said, smiling up at her. "It must have been hard for you. You only found out about us a few days ago, right?"

Yang nodded, still trying to figure out how she should react. Ruby was taking this well. Much better, in fact, than she would have expected.

"That's not a lot of time to figure things out. I don't know if I'd be able to wrap my head around that, not to mention travel so far to meet me and dad if I was in your shoes." Ruby dropped her hand from Yang's shoulder and stared at her feet, muttering, "So no, I'm not mad at you, Yang."

Yang couldn't believe her ears. When her sister's words had finished sinking in, she let out a heavy sigh. She'd imagined numerous potential outcomes to Ruby finding out the truth about her. Most of them were terrible and ended with Ruby hating or shunning her. This scenario, however, had not occurred to her in the slightest. "I don't really deserve it, but thank you, Ruby."

"No! Don't say that." Ruby shook her head. Her voice lowered to a bitter whisper. "_You're_ not the one I should be mad at."

"What?" Yang asked. Hearing something other than sparkling positivity from her little sister was unsettling, to say the least.

Several paces away, Weiss and Blake had stopped walking and turned back, standing in uncomfortable silence while they waited for their teammates to catch up.

"Any day now, you two!" Weiss cried from the other end of the hall, the echo of her voice resounding in obnoxious waves.

"We're _coming!_" Yang said through clenched teeth, turning back to Ruby.

"Shhh!" interrupted a new voice, accompanied by a face peeking out from one of the dorm rooms. Yang instantly recognized Nora's bright orange head of hair. "Some of us are trying to rest here, y'know?!" She vanished, shutting the door behind her. Weiss stood simmering beside Blake, who appeared to be engrossed in the world of her book again, but Yang noted that her free hand was clutching her stomach.

"Come on," Ruby said. "We should hurry so we can get back before lights out. First day of classes is tomorrow!"

"Wait, what were you saying a second ago?" Yang asked in an attempt to stop Ruby from changing the subject.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Ruby reassured. A hollow rumble rang out, making her cheeks flush with red. "Sorry! I'm actually really hungry, too."

Yang couldn't lie. She'd worked up an appetite as well after fighting for such a long time in the forest. It's not like she wasn't used to the fight-till-you-drop lifestyle, but that Deathstalker and Nevermore had been pretty big, even compared to what she was used to seeing back home. Rather, the place that used to be home.

"Alright," she relented, chuckling at Ruby's high-pitched whimper. She would find out what her sister's words meant later, when they weren't all starving. "Let's go."

Their dinner wasn't half as awkward as expected. Weiss actually managed to talk about something other than herself, or how annoying she found Ruby to be. Still, she hadn't quite graduated from "ice queen" status yet. That was what the first years were calling her now. A little over a day in, and she'd already made a name for herself as bitchiest freshman on campus? Yang had to admit it was almost impressive, in a way.

When they left the cafeteria, Ruby told the others to go on ahead without her, then peeled off from the group to find a spot to make a quick call. Meanwhile Yang, who had overdone it a bit gorging herself on the amazing spread of food and beverages available in the cafeteria, almost didn't wait for the other girls before rushing off to pee. She cursed her foolish decision to down more than her share of a tangy drink she hadn't learned the name of yet.

On her way back to the dorm room, she spotted Ruby, who was staring at her scroll in the middle of an open space just beyond the main corridor. A face at the center of her scroll's backlit screen grabbed Yang's attention. She didn't know him, but something about him drew her in. Against her better judgment, she slowed her pace and tried to get a better look. Ruby took notice of her.

"Oh, hey," she said, and waved Yang over to stand with her. "There's someone I want you to meet."

Yang screamed inwardly, hiding her thousands of objections behind a plain expression.

_Damn. I should've just held it._

Tentatively at first, Yang took steps toward Ruby and the man on the screen. Jet-black, spiky hair, slight stubble around the chin, and eyes that were a deep, wine-red awaited her. In some strange way, he was familiar, but also not. Then it hit Yang who she was looking at, and who was looking back at her with the very same astonishment.

"Yang," Ruby said with a smirk, "meet my Uncle Qrow. Uncle Qrow, this is Yang."

"Yang?" croaked the man's hoarse voice. His eyes remained fixed on her. Try as she might, she couldn't look away either.

"Yeah," Ruby replied, raising an eyebrow. "The friend I told you about in my letter that you just read yesterday. Have you been drinking again?"

Qrow looked away sheepishly, averting eye contact with Yang. "Not in front of the kid, Ruby," he whispered, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment.

"That's not a no," Ruby said with an accusatory pout.

"So, um…" Qrow said casually, drowning her out. His eyes darted back to Yang, full of knowing, but conveying just as much discomfort as she felt. "How are you and my niece getting along, Yang?" he asked. She wasn't sure if he was trying to lead her, or how she ought to respond.

"We're managing," she said flatly, letting the conversation deadpan.

What was his story? Was Qrow really a traitor, or had that just been another one of Raven's lies? Yang needed to feel him out first, but for now, she just hoped she could make it through this video call in one piece.

Ruby's scroll buzzed. Qrow vanished from sight. The word 'Dad' appeared on screen, taking with it all hope Yang had of surviving this call. Ruby expertly tapped a couple of buttons, and her uncle's face faded back into view.

"Hey," Ruby said, "Dad's calling. Of course he's late, again. I'll put him on too!"

Although Yang wanted very strongly to object to the way this situation was unfolding, everything was happening much too fast. In an instant, Taiyang's face took up half of the screen, which Ruby quickly turned sideways. Yang was in awe of how the screen adjusted to give ample space to both callers' faces. She'd hardly touched her scroll at all since the moment Glynda passed them out to the students who survived the Emerald Forest test. In only a few short hours, Ruby appeared to have become very skilled at using hers.

"Hello-uh…" Taiyang trailed off, gazing at the unexpected companion at his youngest daughter's side in stunned silence. He collected himself and smiled, redirecting his attention toward Ruby. "Hey! How's my little rose?" he asked, lighting up with enthusiasm. He threw a nervous glance her way, so brief that the less discerning eye could easily have missed it, then returned to smiling at Ruby.

"Just grabbed some food with my team. This is Yang, who I wrote to you about."

Taiyang gulped and nodded, a wooden smile plastered across his face that Yang knew hid layers of a multitude of emotions. All of which she, too, was feeling and had felt for the better part of a week.

"Oh, that's great!" he replied.

"We were about to head back to our dorm," Ruby said, gesturing to her sister, but then her expression changed to one Yang hadn't seen before. One that was almost entirely unemotional, save for the half-lidded eyes that were staring daggers into the electronic images of her uncle and father. "But first," she added, "I want to ask both of you something."

"S-sure?" Taiyang said slowly, clearly confused by this sudden shift in atmosphere. Qrow agreed to hear his niece out too, but it was easy to tell by his nervous laughter that he was on edge. Ruby, on the other hand, looked unamused.

"Why have you been lying to me?"


	16. Chapter 16 Part One

The day has finally come! At last, after all of the plot twists and turns (and all of the waiting on your part, readers), we reach the final hill on the storytelling trek that is _The Other Daughter_.

Last chapter left us with the bitter final words, "Why have you been lying to me?" The cat is out of the bag and Yang's silver-eyed sister is very unhappy! Today, Ruby Rose's question, and many others, will be answered. Everything comes to a head as Yang faces the most tense situation of her life.

**_Part 2 of this two-part finale will be posted later today, along with a special announcement and final comments from me._**

I hope you enjoy reading the first half! Let me know what you think, good or bad.

* * *

The call line went as dead as one of the abandoned settlements that were all too common in Anima. Ruby's stare fixated on the two pale-faced men. She awaited an answer with chilling patience.

"Wha-" Yang sputtered, turning toward her younger sister, "Ruby! Why did you-"

Ruby met Yang's gaze, stone-faced. "I want to know why the two most important people in my life lied about something like this." She looked back at the screen. "Dad, Uncle Qrow, I know everything. I know Yang is my sister, and that she's the daughter of Qrow's sister Raven. What I don't know is why _you_ couldn't talk to me about something like this." Her stoic facade crumbled as her eyes pooled with tears, and she choked on a sob.

"Hang on a minute, Ruby!" Qrow started raspily, but was immediately cut off.

"Don't you trust me?" She continued to weep, her tears splashing against the backlit screen.

"It's not that, Ruby," Taiyang urged. "There's more to this than you realize."

"That's probably true," Ruby said, sniffling and doing her best to stem the flow of tears. "But what I do realize is that my sister, who until now was basically a stranger, had to come all the way from Anima to let me know something the two people I love most never could."

Taiyang and Qrow stared back, speechless, their faces somber.

"Ruby-" Yang tried and failed to get a word in.

"Yang's known this for less than a week, but she still tried to come and speak to us." Ruby smiled wistfully at Yang, her cheeks still wet. "The truth was put out in the open for her by Professor Ozpin, but at least she tried to tell me herself on our _first_ _day _here! You two knew this my entire life, and you let me think I was an only child." Ruby hung her head, letting one last bitter sob out before wiping her eyes. "Why?"

Not knowing what else to do, Yang reached out and pulled Ruby close to her, giving her what she hoped was a warm and comforting hug. Ruby's body shivered against hers, and it was as if Yang was experiencing all of the raw emotion right along with her. Yang knew that pain. It was the same pain she felt from the moment Raven bequeathed her a rusty locket and shared truths that shook her entire world. Now her poor, lovely, innocent younger sister was going through it, too. While this did hurt, at least from here on out they wouldn't need to keep any secrets from each other.

The faint sound of voices in the distance stole Yang's focus away from the heartfelt moment. Cradling Ruby with one arm and stroking her red-streaked hair with the other, she turned around and was surprised to see they weren't alone. Several students were peeking out of their dorms at the two of them, probably wondering what all of the noise was about. Blake and Weiss stood at the forefront, looking on with concern. Yang had been much too absorbed in the moment to realize how far Ruby's voice carried.

"Ruby," Yang whispered, releasing her grip and tapping Ruby's shoulder to alert her. Ruby raised her head, wiping her tears, and saw Blake and Weiss staring back at her.

"Blake? Weiss?" she said softly, hanging her head. "I didn't mean to- ...I'm sorry for making a scene like this."

Blake shook her head. "Don't apologize."

"I thought you two would never get whatever was going on over with!" Weiss declared, although with less venom in her words than usual. Yang had to wonder if she was actually feeling something underneath that prickly exterior.

Someone needed to take charge before this situation got any worse. Yang grabbed Ruby's scroll from her limp grasp and whispered a quick, "we'll call back" to their father and uncle, whose faces were still frozen in perpetual sadness. Then she held the screen out for Ruby to press the call end button. She ushered her sister back down the hallway with Weiss and Blake in tow, making sure to shield her from prying eyes. "Let's get you back inside."

Yang placed Ruby down on her bed with care, letting her process her emotions undisturbed. Weiss and Blake left Team RWBY's leader to her own devices and got to work unpacking alongside Yang. Fortunately for Yang, apart from her armor and a few things from home, she hadn't brought a huge number of items with her. Weiss was the polar opposite, with suitcase after suitcase piled onto her bed. She'd had them delivered to the room on a tall luggage cart.

_Talk about overkill._

Sighing, Yang cracked her knuckles and neck. Once the school year got into full swing, she would probably be too overwhelmed to make time for much. Unpacking and any other lesser duties would need to be completed by 9:00 AM tomorrow, when they were to attend their first class. Traditional schooling was completely foreign to Yang, so she wasn't exactly thrilled about it. Sure, she knew the basics of what Raven or Vernal had seen to teaching her, but little else.

"Yay, Beacon," she said to herself with a half-hearted rallying fist in the air before getting to work.

Morning came with a subtle crack of sunlight through a part in the curtains. It struck Yang across the face, its warmth rousing her softly from slumber. She yawned and stretched as she sat up, making her way toward the bathroom through a maze of opened suitcases left in the wake of their night of unpacking. Once Ruby recovered from her slump yesterday, she had thrown herself into the task of decorating their room, but ran out of energy and crashed before she was finished. Half-hung drapes and crooked posters remained as evidence of that unfinished effort. Yang emerged from the bathroom to find her sister and Blake awake now, too, and gave them a quick "good morning" before getting changed.

She'd asked Glynda to order her another uniform to accommodate her breasts, which were much less comfortable in any of the standard sizes. Impressively, a newly-tailored uniform arrived before they all went to sleep the previous night. Even more impressively, it was a perfect fit! Buttoning her vest, she looked around the room and saw Weiss was waking up, too. Fortunately for Yang, she swept the area just in time to notice Ruby inhaling to blow into a whistle. She slapped both hands over her ears fast enough to save herself from a sharp noise assaulting her eardrums. Weiss wasn't so lucky. Ruby leaned in toward her, closer than even Yang thought was reasonable, and blew into the whistle, its shrill cry reverberating around the room. Weiss flailed like she'd been thrown into the shallow end of a pool with no swimming skills, and toppled to the floor in the most ungraceful fashion possible.

Blake, who had been reading until Ruby disrupted her peace with her ear-splitting surprise, rolled off of her bed, appearing unfazed. She set her book down with care. She'd slept next to it all night, even giving the prized possession its own pillow.

"Gooooood morning Team RWBY!" Ruby shouted.

"What in the world is _wrong_ with you?" Weiss demanded to know of a smiling Ruby.

"Now that you're awake, we can start our first order of business!"

"Excuse me?" Weiss asked, standing and brushing herself off.

"Decorating!" Yang announced, adopting a bright smile as she indicated Ruby's work from the previous night. She hoped that joining Ruby in her enthusiasm would go a long way toward Team RWBY bonding.

"If you call _that_ decorating, then I have so much to teach you," Weiss announced matter-of-factly, strutting past her teammates.

Blake smirked and shook her head, turning back to Yang and Ruby. "Well then, let's get started."

That evening, as Yang sat with her legs dangling from the top bunk above Blake's bed, she stared across the room at her sister, who had taken the bed above Weiss's. It was hard not to pity Ruby. She was engrossed in a textbook, but paused and turned to look at Yang. Blake and Weiss weren't back for the night yet, which left just the two of them, for a change.

"What's up?" Ruby prompted.

"Oh," Yang said, "sorry. I'm still trying to get used to the fact that we're really together now. No secrets, no lies...just you and me."

"Yeah." Ruby smiled. "It's nice," she trailed off, casting a vacant stare at the wall.

Tilting her head to one side, Yang said, "You look like you have something on your mind, too. Is it about you and Weiss? She still giving you grief over being team leader?"

"No, it's not that, but yeah, I _am _worried about Weiss. I was actually wondering something."

"What's that?" Yang leaned forward supported by both arms, genuinely curious.

Ruby reached for her scroll at the corner of her bed. She flashed a picture on-screen. "You're her, aren't you?" Yang gasped as Ruby continued. "I realized it back in the Emerald Forest. I saw something flying above the trees. It was too big to be a bird. I felt like I was watching a mystical creature from one of the books dad read me when I was younger. Almost like a dragon. What I saw looked a lot like this picture."

The photo on Ruby's scroll displayed Yang decked out in full battle armor, her hand on one of the kids from Patch's shoulder as she smiled and posed for a photo. She hadn't even realized Ruby knew about that incident, but it made sense now that she thought about it.

Yang nodded. "Yeah, that's me."

"Everyone told me and Dad we were too late that day. That some brave lady had already come to stop the Grimm near Patch. It was on the same day you showed up. I should've put it together then, but I didn't really know you yet."

Ruby looked up from the photo, starry-eyed. "My sister's The Dragon of Patch. Wow. That's what they're calling you in town now, you know. You're like a legend! All this time, it's only been me, Dad, Uncle Qrow, and a couple of other Huntsmen that everyone could count on if Grimm showed up. There've been a few close calls, and if you hadn't been there to help that day, it could've been bad."

Yang smiled proudly, swinging her legs out as she recalled her past feats. "The Dragon of Patch," she said, testing the title out. She had to admit, the name had a nice ring to it.

The first few weeks of the semester went by largely without incident. Against all odds, Yang was starting to feel Team RWBY growing closer. Not in the same way as the Branwen Tribe, either. Back home, she felt like part of a mission-focused unit, which was comforting, but there wasn't the same warmth that came with a genuine friendship.

On a peaceful Friday afternoon, Yang and her teammates strode along the streets of the city of Vale, casually observing the festivities taking place. An old shopkeeper busily worked to hang a banner display above an awning among a floating sea of colorful pennant flag streamers. How he expected his drably-colored dust shop to stand out amidst all of that was anyone's guess. Balloons were being fastened to posts all around the city. Someone in a Grimm-themed outfit passed out lollipops to hesitant children. There was definitely a joke to be told in there somewhere, but Yang was too busy drinking in her surroundings to think of one. The words "Welcome to Vale!" were displayed in large print on a banner above a main street. Looking around, Yang realized every citizen seemed to have an extra bit of pep in their steps this morning. Even Weiss was glowing with excitement, for a change.

"The Vytal Festival!" Weiss called out, coming to a halt at the front of the group and splaying her arms. "Oh, this is absolutely wonderful!"

"I don't think I've ever seen you smile this much, Weiss," Ruby noted. "It's kind of weirding me out."

Ruby wasn't the only one. Yang held back a snicker.

"How could you _not_ smile?" Weiss challenged. She danced giddily on the tips of her toes as she explained. "A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world! There will be dances! Parades! A tournament! Oh, the amount of planning and organization that goes into this event is simply breathtaking."

_Ha! Anything but._

Unable to resist, Yang sighed. "You really know how to take a good thing and make it sound boring."

"Quiet, you!" Weiss said over her shoulder, notably less snippy now that they were all on better terms with one another.

Honestly, Weiss's sleep-inducing interests aside, Yang did want to learn a lot more about other cultures. Life with the tribe hadn't really lent itself to expanding her horizons that way. The extent of her knowledge of the Vytal Festival was how often its venue, the Amity Coliseum, would return to Haven Academy as part of its cycle of kingdom-hopping. She kept track of this so that when it was Haven's turn to host, she and a couple of other tribemates could pose as guests and pickpocket the audience members. But she wanted more than that now. She wanted to become a Huntress alongside her sister and new friends, and find out what else life had to offer.

Their journey around the city that day led them to encounter a strange, blissfully ignorant girl named Penny, and a blonde monkey Faunus boy whose name Yang still didn't know. Poor Penny, who had taken an immediate liking to Ruby, was being grilled by Weiss for information about where to locate the Faunus in the middle of a square. The rest of the team stood nearby, as they had nothing to contribute.

Weiss shook their new companion and cried, "The filthy Faunus from the boat!" to clarify Penny's confusion about who they were trying to find. Blake glowered at the Schnee heiress with more emotional intensity than Yang could recall her showing the entire time she'd known her.

"What's _your_ problem?" Blake spat. Her interruption had the unintended side effect of freeing Penny from Weiss's line of questioning, and she slipped away to stand with Yang and Ruby.

An air of seriousness struck as Weiss and Blake locked eyes. While typically all for putting an end to one of Weiss's entitled rants, Yang didn't want things to go down this way. Not in the middle of Vale, with innocents nearby. What if Blake and Weiss got into a fight, putting others at risk? Even Penny, who claimed she was here to enter the Vytal Festival Tournament, did not look the part of a capable warrior. Then again, she'd been wrong before, Yang realized. She stole a glance at Ruby, who looked just as concerned as she felt.

All attempts to cut off or otherwise steer the conversation away from its current path were ignored. By some miracle, no physical fight broke out, but Weiss and Blake argued from the middle of the day well into the evening. Yang was dying to have a moment of silence by the time the group returned to their dorm, within which the two girls were _still_ arguing. On the outskirts of the conflict, the half-sisters stood wide-eyed, quietly watching the disagreement snowball. Blake was pointing out something to do with the Faunus rebellion to highlight a weak point of Weiss's argument when Yang turned heel and tugged at the collar of her sister's hood, leading her outside into the hallway.

"Yang, wha-" Ruby sputtered, flailing goofily as she tried to find her footing. "Where are we going?"

"_You're_ going to call our dad," Yang stated matter-of-factly, loosening her grip on the hood.

Ruby frowned and averted her eyes. "What? Why do you want me to do that?"

"Seriously?" Yang folded her arms. "You know he's got to be worried sick about you. Uncle Qrow too. You haven't contacted them in weeks. I get that they hurt you, but don't you think you're being a little extreme here?"

The silver-eyed girl grumbled something unintelligible, clenching her fists. "Qrow can't get calls anymore. He's on a mission with his scroll turned off. He told me that call was going to be his last for a long time."

"That's not the point, Ruby. Besides, are you really okay with knowing those angry words you said to him were the last thing Qrow heard from you before going off on his mission?"

Ruby sighed. "Yeah, well...he should've thought about that before he hid a whole chunk of my life from me. Dad too. Yang, how could they? I always used to say I really wished I had a sibling. They looked me in my face and lied, every time. I just don't get it. Dad's so kind, and Uncle Qrow's always been there for me. So how _could_ they?"

Undeterred, Yang started down the hall toward the nearest exit to the courtyard. "Let's ask," she proposed. Ruby dragged her feet, growling in protest.

While Ruby was still more or less her old self around their team, she couldn't hide her feelings from her sister forever. Whenever they were alone, Yang saw cracks in Ruby's mask of positivity. She was hurting, and most likely constantly thinking about her actions on both that night and the following day, when she and Yang called Taiyang and Qrow back. Even now, as they stepped out into the courtyard and the cool, crisp air hit them in waves, something about the way Ruby carried herself, right down to the dulled shine of eyes that usually sparkled with life, but now oozed sadness, frustration, and anger.

Not that Yang didn't understand. She'd felt the same way every day of her life since hearing the truth from Raven, but Ruby was different. She had something special about her that wasn't meant to be tainted by holding grudges and pushing others away. It just felt wrong not to intervene. Yang examined Ruby's thin-lipped frown, searching it for some hint of positivity. Where was the smile that always brightened up her day?

Yang stopped near a bench far away from other students. A raised concrete cube was hollowed out and filled with potted plants. One of its tall walls became the backrest for the bench, adding a splash of color to the otherwise uniform design of the courtyard.

Maybe Ruby wasn't bothering to smile because she felt there was no need to put on airs around her, Yang considered. That was a good thing, right?

_Then why doesn't it feel like a good thing?_

Ruby slowed to a halt behind her. "Come on, Yang," she pleaded, hugging herself. "Can't we go back inside? It's cold out here!"

"Sure," Yang said with a sly smile. "After you call."

Grunting in response, Ruby yanked her scroll out and stared at it hard. Yang raised an eyebrow expectantly, tapping her foot.

"Oh, alright!" Ruby blurted out. "I give." She dialed the number, hesitating to press the call button. Yang slid over next to her and guided her finger toward the screen. Snatching her hand away, Ruby asked, "Why is it so important to you that I make up with Dad anyway?"

"Come, on, Ruby. Why would you ask me something like that?"

"No, seriously. I really don't get it. You can still talk to dad whenever you want."

Yang sighed, biting her lip. "Okay. If you really want to know, it's because...because I sorta feel responsible."

Ruby tilted her head. "Hm? Responsible for what?"

"For all of this!" Yang threw her hands up. "If I hadn't come along, everything would be fine right now. You and Taiyang had such a close bond. I never meant to come between you two."

Ruby frowned. "Yang…"

"What? It's true. I came all of this way, and I couldn't even tell you the truth myself. Professor Ozpin had to do it for me."

"But you were going to, right? Isn't that what you kept trying to tell me before initiation?"

"Doesn't change the fact that I didn't." Yang kicked a pebble across the courtyard.

"I guess that's true, but like I said last time we talked to Dad and Qrow, you only kept it from me for a few days. Not my whole life, like they did."

Yang groaned. "Look, Ruby. No matter what, I still think you should hear them out. I've been told it's important to look at situations from different perspectives."

She cast a wistful smile up at the sky at the thought of Vernal's sage advice. The same advice that led her to cut a clean break from her mother and travel here. While taking Vernal's words to heart hadn't gone as planned, Yang believed she'd made the right choice. Now she had a new opportunity to cement a strong bond with her sister that wasn't built on lies, and she refused to let that go to waste.

"Well, okay," Ruby mumbled after a moment, "I guess I'll hear Dad out." She dangled her arms like dead weight, then flipped her scroll up into the crook of one palm, tapping the appropriate number keys to dial her father.

Seconds passed like years. Yang lounged beside Ruby, trying to appear calm. Her eyes were practically glued to the pulsing backlight of the screen. When it lit up and displayed a clear, moving image of Taiyang's face, the air left Yang's lungs. It was time. The whole family knew her secret, and now they were going to talk it out. Ruby's second outburst the day after her initial conversation with Tai and Qrow hadn't left things on that great of terms, or allowed for much in the way of counterarguments. Not even from Yang. However, now the blonde was putting her foot down. They needed to try and mend whatever damage was done before Ruby and her father and uncle's emotional wounds worsened. Yang held out for the faint hope that time had softened the blow the truth dealt. The blow _she_ dealt to their peaceful lives.

"Oh, Ruby!" Taiyang said, a conflicted smile on his face. "I'm so happy to hear from you two!"

Ruby swallowed a lump in her throat. "Hi, dad."

"Hey," Yang said in a more upbeat tone than her sister, knowing she would need to guide this show for it to go anywhere. "Ruby and I have you on the line because we thought maybe you'd like to say your piece about everything. Is this a good time?"

"Oh, no, no," Taiyang said, juggling sheafs of paper in the foreground of the camera view. "Any time is a good time for my girls." He cast the papers aside somewhere out of frame, and then crossed his arms atop the desk he was sitting at, eyes reddened from what looked like a long night of grading assignments. Yang saw Ruby forcing back a frown at the edge of her vision.

"Dad," Ruby began, "I was just so hurt before, but now I think I'm ready. Tell me everything."

He hung his head, letting out a heavy sigh. "Okay, Ruby. Look. I didn't hide things from you because I don't trust you. It's...things were just complicated. Yang's mom, Raven, was on the same team with your mother, Qrow and I. She wanted to leave and return to the tribe, but I didn't want our family to be separated." Yang saw him hesitate, tiptoeing around the true conflict he and Raven faced. "Anyway, we fought about it for a while, but in the end she decided to go alone because I wouldn't go with her."

"Why not?" Ruby asked.

Taiyang looked at Yang. A heavy silence set her on edge. They both _knew_ why, but the difficult part was how to explain it to Ruby.

"The tribe's...dangerous," he began, pausing to consider his next words. "Raven and Qrow didn't attend Beacon for the reasons Summer and I did."

"Ruby," Yang said. Her sister turned to her. "This is what I was explaining to you before. You know, how the tribe was feared? It's because of how strong we were. Raven and Uncle Qrow went to Beacon so they could learn how to kill Huntsman and Huntresses, and used those skills to make the tribe a stronger fighting force."

Ruby put a hand to her mouth. "What? That's so…"

"Yeah," Taiyang said with a sober nod. "That kind of lifestyle isn't what I wanted for our family. I've never agreed with the way of the tribe. Raven knew I didn't, so in the end, she left and I stayed here in Patch. It hurt so much, but I kept moving forward. I tried to start a new life with Summer, and of course, that's when you came along." He smiled warmly at Ruby.

Ruby relaxed her shoulders, seeming semi-satisfied with the answer. "I think I get it. Why not tell me about Yang, though?"

Taiyang frowned. "It only made sense, as bad as that probably sounds. Raven and I agreed it would be best if Yang didn't know anything about me. After you were born, Qrow and I decided to keep you as far removed from the dangers of the Branwen Tribe as possible. That's why he left, you know? Qrow wanted to live an honest life as a Huntsman instead of going back there. We both wanted you to be safe. I know your mom would've wanted the same."

Ruby didn't respond, folding her bottom lip inward as she took in her father's words.

"Ruby," Taiyang continued, "I honestly did want to tell you, at least about Yang. But Qrow and I figured you would probably want to go see her in Anima, and that…" He took a breath. "That just wasn't safe. When Qrow let me know Raven was going to tell Yang about us, I was excited. I hoped that you two could finally meet."

Yang smiled at Ruby, rubbing her shoulder the way she had done to hers earlier. Ruby seemed to respond well, cracking a weak smile.

"But when she came to Patch, we, um…" Tai trailed off, glancing at Yang. She picked up where he left off, saving him from the awkwardness.

"It was my fault, Ruby. I asked Dad not to tell you who I was that day, when I visited the cabin. So please don't take it out on him."

Ruby turned to Yang, then to her father and back again, wide-eyed. "Really? Why?"

"It's like I already said. I was scared. Too afraid of what you might think of me if you found out. I felt bad about butting into your peaceful lives, and thought I shouldn't have even bothered showing up, especially after all the things I'd done in the tribe. How could you accept me?" Yang looked away, full of shame, but Ruby thrust herself toward her sister and delivered a tight hug that made it difficult to breathe.

"I do accept you," came the short girl's muffled voice from the crook of Yang's neck. "It's okay." She came up for air and returned her attention to Taiyang. "And I forgive you and Uncle Qrow too. I'm sorry."

Taiyang rubbed the back of his head, reminding Yang of her own nervous tic.

_Must be genetic._

"It's perfectly understandable why you held it against us," he said, "and I promise I'll be more honest with you in the future. Qrow and I both will. Whenever he returns from that mission he's on for Oz, I'm sure he'll say as much."

The sisters wiped their eyes, gave each other one last hug, and said their goodbyes to Tai.

"Now that that's all taken care of," Yang said with a clap of her hands, trying to remain cheerful, "looks like we've got another relationship to fix."

Ruby sighed, letting out a slight chuckle. "Weiss and Blake."

"Yeah," Yang said, rolling her eyes. "Weiss and Blake."

Nothing could have prepared the two for what awaited them as they re-entered the dorm to find their teammates still deep into a several-hour debate about the morals of members of the White Fang organization. According to Weiss, her family, the rich and famous Schnees, had been at war with the White Fang for many years. She'd lost family and friends due to their frequent acts of terrorism, and her father incurred heavy business losses that he took out on his family. On _her_.

Weiss leaned against the windowsill, fists clenched, glaring out into the night sky as she explained all of this to her friends. Realizing the story she was telling would be a lengthy one, Yang took a seat in a chair near the opposite wall. She could empathize with the hurt in Weiss's eyes. The look that said she felt all alone in her pain. In truth, Yang couldn't help but feel a little disappointed in her treatment of the Schnee princess up until now. Her taunting of Weiss had surely done little to ease the struggles she endured. Yang squirmed in her chair. Ruby stood by Weiss's side and tried to touch her shoulder the way she had Yang's, but was shrugged off.

"You want to know _why_ I despise the White Fang?" Weiss announced again, stepping away from the window to face Blake. Dignified as ever, the princess held her head high with a chilling calmness that conveyed her anger better than a hateful scowl would. "It's because they're a bunch of liars, thieves, and MURDERERS!" Weiss inched closer to Blake with every condemning word, the intensity of her expression matched only by Blake's defiant one.

"Well, maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!" Blake exploded.

The room fell silent. Weiss's rage melted away, replaced by an open-mouthed stare of disbelief. She shrank back. Yang and Ruby looked at one another for confirmation of what they'd just heard.

"I-I…" Blake tried to say. Averting her eyes, she abandoned all attempts to speak and darted for the door. She hurried around the corner and down the hall so fast that she was little more than a black blur.

"Blake, wait!" Ruby squealed, running after her. "Come back!" She stopped in the doorway, deflating when she realized Blake was long gone.

Yang half expected Ruby to activate her semblance, but her sister must have realized Blake didn't want to be followed and had chosen to respect her wishes. Only time would tell if that was the right choice.

Yang awoke early the next morning and, through a few stealthy acrobatic maneuvers in the dark, slipped out of bed and reached the door without alerting her sleeping teammates. Last night had been draining, what with all of the emotional baggage flying around. She needed some air.

Outside, the former chilling breeze was now a warm one. All the better for Yang, given that she'd decided to go for a stroll that turned into a jog. Walking around alone left her with too much nervous energy. She decided to circle the main building of the campus twice. Halfway through her run, a glint at the edge of Yang's vision drew her off of the beaten path. She headed toward an archway where she thought she'd spotted some movement and turned the corner to find something - no, some_one_, she would never have expected.

"Hello Yang," said Raven Branwen, leaning against the columned wall as she stared up at the starry sky. Her stark-red eyes locked onto the speechless blonde, whose mouth hung open. "Is that any way to greet your mother?"


	17. Chapter 16 Part Two

The very last installment is here! I won't waste your time with another recap, as anyone reading this has probably read part one.

Let me know what you think, good or bad. There is a special announcement at the end of this chapter!

* * *

Raven was _here_, at Beacon Academy, of all places! On the mental list of people Yang expected to run into on her jog, her mother was...well, no, she wasn't last. She wasn't on the list _at all_.

Yang didn't let her shock at this new development stop her from getting to the point.

"Why are you here?" she asked, still unable to take her eyes off of Raven.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," the tribe leader said with a hint of snark. She moved away from the wall and rested a hand on her hip, sizing her daughter up.

"Close enough," Yang said. She strode to the opposite side of the arch they stood under and faced Raven, a skeptical frown plastered across her lips. "So, why come and see me now? You could've whenever you wanted."

Raven sighed. "Qrow told me you enrolled here. I came to, first of all, find out what the hell you were thinking," she stressed through clenched teeth. "Also, I wanted to see it for myself."

"Okay. You've seen. Are we done, then?"

Clicking her tongue, Raven shook her head. "You've always had quite a mouth on you, Yang."

"Yeah," Yang smiled back, refusing to let Raven steer this conversation or get under her skin. "I have you to thank for that, mom."

"Ha-ha," Raven mocked, resting a hand on her sword hilt, but making no move to draw the blade. The deafening pang of uncomfortable silence that followed made Yang want to be as far away from here as possible. Would Raven just get this over with already?

The unwelcome visitor spoke after what seemed like eons. "So, you're really fine with being Ozpin's lapdog now, Yang? After everything I told you?"

Scoffing before she could stop herself, Yang clenched her fists. "No way. That's not what I'm doing. I came here because I need to keep Ruby safe from all of this. She doesn't know anything, and she could end up getting hurt."

"Aww," Raven cooed bitterly, "isn't that sweet of you?"

"Look," Yang said, "can we get to the point here? I have things to do today."

"What," Raven asked with a sarcastic chuff, "are you eager to go on adventures with your new team of would-be Huntresses?"

Yang paused. "Actually, I am, but that's not it." She nodded toward the school in the distance. "We have a very important mission today." Yang didn't elaborate. After all, the search for Blake they were going on first thing this morning was none of her mother's business.

Something flickered in Raven's expression. It was only an instant, but long enough for Yang to notice. Could she be jealous?

"If you want to reconsider and come back to the tribe, Yang, there's still time. I'll allow you this one...lapse in judgment."

"Oh, that's rich," Yang shot back, shaking her head. "I won't be coming back. Even if I left Beacon, I'd never hurt people and steal from the innocent for you again."

"Why the sudden conscience?" Raven balked, pacing in a half-circle. "You used to be so loyal to our cause, and now just like that, you're going to abandon everything you've ever known?"

Without being able to see for herself, Yang knew her eyes must have flashed red. She could tell by the feeling of blood coursing through her veins, filling her with warmth and rage. "You don't get to do that. You're not the victim here."

"That's for sure. It's the rest of the tribe that was counting on you to step up. Instead, you got it into your head to go back to the very same place, the same _man_, that almost tore your family apart."

"The way I see it, you did that all on your own."

Raven stopped, speechless for once.

"You really think I haven't talked to Dad? Well, I have, and from what I can tell, he misses you. He wants his team back together."

"He should've thought about that before he decided to fight Salem. Don't you get it? Staying would've put me, and even you, our newborn daughter, in Salem's sights. We would have spent our whole lives looking over our shoulders, or on the run!"

"But we'd have been together."

"Yang, that's no kind of life."

Yang scoffed. "And scrounging for scraps and pillaging settlements is?"

Raven grumbled something under her breath, but didn't counter her daughter's point. It was unclear whether that was because she wouldn't or because she couldn't.

Yang sighed. The simmering buildup of her aura settled and, after a moment, faded altogether. "Look, I get it. We would've been in danger all the time. But were you really okay with leaving Dad alone, even after what happened to Summer?"

"To me, what happened to Summer is all the more reason to stay away. I'm the Branwen Tribe's leader! I need to keep as many of us safe as possible. Tai could have come with me, but he chose his fate. The same goes for Qrow."

Yang gave a solemn nod. "Mom, the tribe is my family, and they always will be. But Taiyang and Ruby are too. I can't just do nothing."

Something like understanding, or maybe acceptance, flashed in Raven's eyes. She backed away, resigned. "You don't know everything, Yang. I was there. I've seen. But if you stay with Ozpin and his allies, you'll see, too. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

She took a breath, turned away, and tore open a red portal which must have led to Anima. Its hollow hum was familiar, but more haunting than Yang remembered. In all honesty, part of her yearned to walk back through with her mother, if only to see her friends from home, but she'd chosen her path. Now was the time to walk it and not look back.

"Try not to die," Raven whispered. She stepped through and was gone. The portal vanished with a sharp ring, leaving Yang alone in the courtyard again.

Seeing her mother depart for what may well have been the last time stung. Yang didn't look up to her anymore - in fact, far from it - and yet, she still held a soft spot in her heart for the woman who raised her. If Raven's tone was any indication, she still cared, too. Clutching her chest, Yang took a breath and tucked the pain away somewhere deep inside herself. Somewhere it couldn't hurt her.

When Yang finished her second lap around the building, sunlight was just beginning to peek out over the horizon. She hurried to Team RWBY's dorm and tip-toed to her bed, unnoticed by her teammates. Granted, this was more on account of Ruby's loud snoring than anything else. Sliding back into bed, she tried, and failed, to get one last hour or so of rest before the others woke up. It was the weekend, so at least they'd have time to search for Blake. Yang leaned over the side of her bed and stared down at the empty bed where her teammate should have been. Bittersweet though it was, things had worked out with Ruby and Taiyang, only to land the team smack in the middle of the worst case scenario with Weiss and Blake. Yang wasn't sure how to feel, and these worries prevented her from getting a restful last hour. Her eyes were still open when the others began to stir.

Ruby was the first to rise. She wiped her eyes and yawned, snapping Yang out of her daze. The sisters waved good morning to one another with what little energy they could muster. Ruby's halfhearted smile became a frown when she shifted her attention to Blake's empty bed. The covers were just as the runaway girl had left them - neatly tucked in with a couple of books stacked on top. Both sisters shared a wordless stare of mutual concern. Breaking the tension, Yang kicked her legs over the side of the bed to start the day, and Ruby followed suit. There was no time to waste; they needed to track down Blake.

* * *

The streets were not all that busy today, allowing the three girls to walk side by side as they searched every block of Vale. The incomplete Team RWBY walked in a casual fashion, scanning the area every so often for any sign of Blake as they called out her name. They'd visited all of the shops on this strip and the one connected to it, asking store owners if they'd seen Blake. No luck so far, but there was more ground left to cover.

"I still can't believe this was your big plan for finding her," Weiss derided, looking over her shoulder at Ruby. "Hours of this and still, nothing."

"Look, Weiss," Yang said, "you could've just not joined us."

"Nonsense," Weiss almost sang. "You think I'd miss _this_?"

Yang scoffed. Leave it to Weiss to turn their absent teammate's conflict into something she could relish in, and use to puff up her own ego. Yang was desperate to find Blake, if only to prove Weiss wrong about her. The Schnee heiress had been very vocal the night before, and just before leaving the school this morning, about her belief that Blake was of 'unscrupulous character' - whatever the hell _that _meant - and that she'd led them on the whole time. While Yang wanted to argue against this, she was sad to admit there was no way of knowing whether Weiss was right or wrong.

That wasn't all. Given the new knowledge of Blake's past involvement with the White Fang, Yang couldn't help but see some overlap between Blake and herself. Whatever her reasons for joining the organization, the Faunus girl apparently chose to no longer align herself with the group. Perhaps it had been just like with Raven and the tribe. Did Blake regret her past, or was she still 'one of them'? There were too many unanswered questions to bother with mulling it all over. The first priority was to find her. _Then_ they could grill her and get the whole truth.

Several more minutes of a mixture of shouting "Blake" and asking a handful of passersby if they'd seen RWBY's missing team member (using the profile photo she'd provided when they exchanged scroll numbers) led nowhere. Halfway into the next round of shouting for Blake, Ruby stopped walking and addressed Weiss.

"Weiss," she bemoaned, "you're not helping!"

"Oh, you know who might be able to help?" Weiss asked, a thick layer of sarcasm in her words. "The police!"

Ruby grunted and folded her arms. "Weiss…"

Weiss made a wide gesture. "It was _just_ an idea!"

"Yeah, a bad one," Ruby grumbled as she and Yang continued on.

"Weiss," Yang said, turning to face her teammate mid-step, "I think we should hear her side of the story before we jump to any conclusions."

"_I think_ when we hear it, you'll all realize _I _was right!" Weiss announced with certainty.

Yang picked up on an extra set of heavy footsteps mixed in with theirs. Her dormant hunter skills kicked in. She turned around, blade drawn, only to see Penny approaching from behind.

"And _I _think Weiss's hair looks wonderful today!" Penny said with her usual cheer. Ruby and Weiss redirected their attention away from Yang's exposed weapon and whirled around in surprise.

Once the combined shock of Yang's knee-jerk reaction and Penny's arrival died down, their visitor greeted them as if nothing had happened and eagerly asked what they were doing out here. Penny didn't _seem_ all that bad, but they didn't know her too well yet. Yang exchanged glances with Ruby and Weiss for approval before divulging that they were looking for Blake.

"Oh!" Penny said, dragging the word out. "You mean the Faunus girl!"

They couldn't believe she already knew about Blake's identity somehow. Something was off about the ginger-haired girl, that was for sure, but she at least seemed sincere. That was more than Yang could say for certain others in her life. Although, it still didn't explain why an ordinary girl's footsteps were so heavy.

Yang was still trying to figure this mystery out when Penny went on to explain that Blake's bow concealed a pair of cat ears. The other girls somehow never noticed this, even though they spent so much time with her. Come to think of it, it was a bit strange that Blake wore her bow almost all the time, only taking it off in the shower. The rest of the team had passed this off as nothing more than a weird quirk.

Interrupting Yang's train of thought, Penny proclaimed her undying dedication to helping Ruby look for her teammate. While she swore this oath, Yang and Weiss slipped away to check other areas. Their new friend's abundance of energy was a bit much, good intentions aside. It felt strange to agree with Weiss on something. Neither of them said a word at first as they strolled along, checking every storefront and alley they passed. Then Weiss broke the silence.

"Hey Yang?" Weiss said, her voice meeker than Yang recalled ever hearing until now.

"Yeah?" Yang turned to her with curiosity.

"How are you adjusting? You know, to Beacon?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, things seemed a little difficult for you at first," Weiss pointed out. "Didn't you used to need Ruby's help reading through some of your textbook material? Don't be embarrassed. I know it's not your fault. You _did_ grow up with a bunch of outlaws, after all."

"Not outlaws," Yang corrected through gritted teeth. "Well, I mean...not entirely." The combined shame of being a slow reader for her age and her former life coming back to haunt her made it tough for Yang to act as aggressive toward Weiss as the entitled girl's comments probably deserved.

"Call it what you want," Weiss said dismissively, holding up a hand. "Look. I only want to make sure things are going well."

"Huh? What brought this on?" Yang paused, searching Weiss's icy blue eyes for some kind of motive or hidden message. She found nothing.

"I just don't want us to be held back as a team because we didn't help you out when you needed it. If you are struggling in any of your classes, don't be afraid to speak up."

"You calling me dumb?" Yang challenged, clenching her fists.

"No, no," Weiss was quick to correct. "My point is that we're all a team, so we need to work together. Just like we're working together to find Blake."

"Oh. Got it."

Silence returned. Again, Weiss was the first to speak.

"Okay, I admit, that was a bit rude of me."

"Ya think?"

"I _said_ sorry! Anyway, I just hope we find her soon so we can get to the bottom of this."

"You mean so you can call the cops?"

"Well, yes, but it's not like she doesn't have it coming, Yang! She's not like you. _You_ got out once you realized you were with a gang of…" Weiss hesitated before continuing, "bandits. I would think you, of all people, would understand her position the most."

Yang sighed. "I guess. I don't know if her experience is exactly like mine, or what her reasons were. But for me, it was more about upbringing than anything. I stole and intimidated because that was just what you did in our tribe. We were like a family, you know? We stuck together, even if our intentions weren't always the purest. When I found out Mom was hiding information about Ruby and our father, though, I realized I should've listened to that little voice I'd always had in the back of my head telling me that life wasn't for me."

"So you left just like that? Wasn't that difficult?" Weiss's concern sounded genuine, but Yang couldn't believe her ears.

"Of course." Yang looked back toward Ruby, who was nothing more than a red speck down the street. "But it was worth it. I found something new here that I never had there."

Weiss beamed, holding her head high. "I have a sister too," she said. "You may have heard of her? Winter's older than me, and she used to attend Beacon."

"Ah, is that so?" Yang said with a teasing smile. "Little Miss Perfect's got competition?"

"Would you stop it?" The fellow princess spat. "Anyway, what I was _going_ to say is you're right. That kind of bond _is_ worth it." She strode toward the nearest shop, turning back as she reached for the doorknob. "Don't just stand there wasting time. We've got more searching to do!"

Yang had no words for this new side of Weiss. There really was more under that shell of ice. Her final words may have been bossy, but they didn't carry with them the usual sour edge that Yang had come to associate with her teammate. Still, Weiss's irrational writing off of Blake and the White Fang as irredeemable criminals cut deep. Blake deserved the benefit of the doubt, right? People could change. _Yang herself_ had. That had to be true. She needed it to be.

_I don't want to become Raven._

A few minutes later, they exited the shop with no more information than before they entered.

"This is hopeless," Yang said with a defeated huff. Weiss was looking off into the distance, not appearing to have registered her comrade's words. "You really don't care if we find her, do you?"

Snapping back to attention, Weiss shot Yang an irritated look. "Don't be stupid! Of course I do. I'm just afraid of what she'll say when we find her." She took a few steps away from the shopfront, hands on her hips. "The innocent never run, Yang."

Her words echoed like nagging daggers of guilt, digging deep into Yang.

_The innocent never run?_

The blonde stared hard at the pavement, mulling over Weiss's statement. Was that really true? She'd shed her old life, thankfully before sinking too deeply into the twisted, parasitic culture she came to know as normal. Yet Weiss's simple declaration dredged up so many painful memories, reminding her that she was perhaps not as blameless as she thought. She told herself she left the tribe to start a new life with a clean slate, but maybe all of this time, she was only running from her darker truths.

"Hello, Yang?" Weiss prompted, snapping at the air in front of her face.

"Oh! Sorry. I got distracted."

Yang fell into step with Weiss, trying to shake the incessant spiral of negative thoughts. She couldn't help but wonder whether she was still the same scared crybaby who fled from the Branwen Camp the night Raven told her about Taiyang and Ruby. The same girl who avoided facing her mother, or Vernal, instead of confronting her fears head-on.

_The innocent never run._

Weiss's offhand comment applied not only to Blake, but also to her. She wasn't innocent, and she'd never stopped running ever since that day. Deep down inside, she was still that pathetic girl stumbling through the forests of Anima, trying to escape a reality she didn't want to acknowledge. Handling the situation with Blake could allow her to help someone else not to make those same mistakes. She wasn't going to give up on her teammate.

"You hit the last few shops on this side of the street, I'll take the opposite?" Yang offered as they turned the corner to see another line of storefronts. "We can meet at the intersection when we're done."

"No, _I'll _take that side of the street, and you handle this one," Weiss said. She strutted across a crosswalk before Yang could disagree. Her constant need to control and be in charge was becoming less annoying than when they first met. Now it was more amusing than anything. Yang chuckled and continued down the sidewalk.

"You got it, ice queen," she whispered.

* * *

The explosion that rang throughout the outermost district of Vale arrested all movement in the shop where Yang was in the middle of questioning a store owner. A customer jumped, bumping into a shelf full of merchandise and sending it toppling onto its side. In a hurry to investigate, Yang was careful not to step on the remnants of shattered glass and pottery at her feet. She peered through the window near the front door, watching a plume of smoke rise into the darkening sky. A text came in seconds later from Weiss. The loud sound had come from the docks, and she thought it was worth a shot to check for Blake there. Calling out a quick, "Thanks again," Yang bolted from the store and down the street to meet up with Weiss.

Police vehicles were clustered together at the Vale shipyard, sectioned off by barricades from the scene of a recent battle. According to Blake, Sun, Ruby, and Penny, all of whom were involved, Torchwick and a few of his goons were working with the White Fang. They met up here as part of some unknown operation, and Blake and Sun intervened. Although the enemies were long gone, the air was still heavy with the weight of conflict.

Yang breathed a sigh of relief as Blake and Weiss made up, reaching an agreement that because Blake was no longer with the White Fang, Weiss would trust her. Also, Blake agreed to confide in her team if an issue ever came up again, not anyone else. Of course, Weiss couldn't resist making a not-so-subtle suggestion that she was talking about Sun, Blake's Faunus companion from the docks. He had apparently stayed by Blake's side ever since she left Beacon. Knowing she wasn't wandering around alone this whole time made Yang feel a little more at ease.

"Hey, wait a minute," Ruby said, "where's Penny?"

The others swept the area and realized that Penny, who was with them only moments ago, had vanished while everyone else was focused on Weiss settling things with Blake. According to the quick rundown given by Sun, Blake, and Ruby, Penny protected Ruby from Roman Torchwick. She also tried to stop him and the members of the White Fang from getting away. Wherever she'd disappeared to, if Penny was looking out for her little sister's safety, that made her okay in Yang's book.

Turning back to face Blake, Yang gasped. The Faunus stood with her bow unraveled in one hand, arms folded in a futile protective gesture as everyone examined her appearance. Two black cat ears folded against themselves on top of her head, fully exposed for the first time. She didn't maintain eye contact. Hearing Ruby say that Blake had "little kitty ears" was one thing, but seeing them for herself caught Yang off guard.

"Wow," Yang said without thinking, and Blake shrank further back. She regretted her comment the second it left her mouth, but to be honest, it was hard not to become mesmerized by the way the ears twitched, stiffened and curled in response to their owner's every movement. "Sorry! I didn't mean it like that. I just never thought your bow could be hiding something like this."

"They really _are_ kinda cute, Blake," Ruby piped up, inching closer with a bright smile. "Can I touch, pleeeeease?"

Blake raised an eyebrow, quiet for a few seconds. The strange request seemed to take a moment to process, or maybe the mortified Faunus girl didn't believe Ruby was serious. Whatever the reason was, after a moment she relaxed and bent forward, presenting her ears to Ruby. "Sure, I guess?"

Ruby buzzed with excitement as she leaned in closer. She rubbed the cat ears one at a time, then took the liberty of going for it again, as if she was certain she'd never get another chance. The silver-eyed girl giggled with joy whenever her touch caused one of the ears to perk up.

Yang found it impossible to look away from the sight unfolding in front of her. Seeing how great of an impact the rest of Team RWBY's words and actions had on Blake was beyond painful. In this moment, it was clear how well ingrained racist humans' biases were in her. Just the thought of all of the mistreatment she must have had to endure made Yang wish she could help her friend somehow. However, nothing she did would erase the belief - and to an extent, the truth - that humans looked down on Blake for being a Faunus.

Regardless of the runaway's past with the White Fang, Yang knew one thing for sure. One look into Blake's amber eyes revealed a scared and lonely girl, not a remorseless terrorist with a hidden agenda. Weiss was wrong about her.

"I completely understand if any of you want to turn me in to the authorities," Blake said once Ruby was content enough to back away. While she re-tied her bow, she looked at the police cars nearby and frowned. "I won't resist."

"Weren't you listening?" Weiss snapped, drawing everyone's attention. "I said I don't care, as long as you aren't a member of the White Fang anymore."

"Right," Ruby added. "We know you're a good person, Blake."

Yang stepped forward, grabbing Blake's hand. The past two days had shown her just how much she and Blake had in common. They were both scared and uncertain, trying to make better lives for themselves than the ones that corrupt organizations carved out for them, and both were in fear of rejection.

"Blake," she said, "we aren't turning you in. I know what it's like to want to run away from your past. To want to be someone different. Someone good enough, who's worthy of her friends' kindness." Yang smiled back at Ruby and Weiss. Ruby hopped with excitement and turned to Weiss, who held up a hand to keep her at a distance.

"E-exactly," Blake stammered. "I wish I could take all I've done back."

"You're already good enough, Blake," Yang said, squeezing her hand.

"But Yang, I don't know how I could ever-"

Ruby stepped forward and cut off Blake's explanation with a tight hug. Yang felt like it would be a crime not to join in. She felt Sun's arms join the group hug at some point, too. She could see Weiss's heels move into view out of the corner of her eye as she reached out to touch Blake on the shoulder, probably thinking she was 'too good' for something as silly as a group hug. They stayed this way for what felt like an eternity.

Once the mass of sweaty and teary-eyed students broke up, Yang surveyed the wreckage of the recent battle. Shockingly, Weiss was not wrong on all counts tonight: Blake wasn't evil, but the White Fang _was_ loosely connected to the recent dust shop robberies. Maybe that counted as half of a point. What did it all mean, though? She put it out of her mind. There would be time to think about that later.

"Well," Yang said, whistling, "now we've gotta figure out what we're going to tell the school."

* * *

Taiyang walked over to a table full of tools and scrap metal, grabbing the rag he'd tossed there during an installation of parts. Intense heat was beating down in waves, but the weather was no match for Patch's resident mechanic. He wiped his brow and stood back to example his recent handiwork. While it wasn't something super complex, like the things some of his higher paying clients requested, he considered it just as important. Birds chirped in the distance, reminding him that there was still a world outside of the shed he spent several hours in. Taiyang wanted to make sure he put all of the finishing touches on his most prized creation before the time came to show it off. He wanted it perfect.

"Hey!" cried a voice, "we're here!"

He trembled with excitement as he dusted off his shorts and hurried to greet the new arrivals. He didn't bother to stop and shut the garage door behind him. Nothing was as important as this.

Ruby and Yang stood side by side, bags slung over their shoulders. Zwei was panting with joy, licking at the girls' legs for attention. Ruby scooped him up just as she spotted her father. The family came together in a fit of laughter and hugs. Taiyang took the time to kiss each of his daughters' foreheads, resisting the urge to not let either of them go.

"You're home!" he said, still panting from how fast he'd run to the front of the house. He turned to Yang. "I'm so glad you decided to spend your break with us!"

"Of course I did," Yang said. "I can't wait for us to get to know each other!" She ruffled Ruby's hair, causing her to laugh. "Besides, I'm not letting this one hog all the father-daughter time."

"What's going on, Dad?" Ruby asked, still smiling as she held Zwei with one arm. "How's business?"

"It's going great," Taiyang said. "Oh! That reminds me. Could you take Yang to her room and then meet me around back? I have something cool to show you."

Ruby gasped, jumping with excitement. "What? Really? Is it something cute? Did you make armor for Zwei?"

"No," Taiyang said with a weak laugh, "for the last time, Ruby, I'm not fitting Zwei for armor."

"Aww," she pouted, "why not?"

Before he could answer, Yang tugged on Ruby's arm and led her toward the cabin. "Let's go, Ruby. You can endanger the family dog some other time."

Taiyang retrieved his trusty watering can and knelt to tend the plants near the front entrance, brimming with joy at the sight of his family, finally whole, or as close as it was going to get. The flowers were looking healthier than ever, and he couldn't help but appreciate the symbolism. Years later, against all odds, he and his girls were finally together. He swore to himself that he would make these next few days the best days of Yang's life, no matter what.

Yang and Ruby waited in tense silence as they watched their father step into the shed. Whatever he'd called them out here for, he sure seemed worked up about it, and he refused to spill any info. Ruby hadn't been able to guess what the mystery project was either when Yang questioned her in the kitchen over glasses of water. All that was left to do now was wait.

"So," Taiyang said, walking over to the drape he'd left over the surprise with intentional dramatic flair, "at long last, I reveal to you my most fascinating creation yet!"

Ruby squealed with excitement alongside Yang, whose foot tapped as she forced herself not to beg her father to get on with it already. Something told her letting him know his suspense tactics were working would only draw this out more.

"My dear eldest daughter, the esteemed Dragon of Patch herself, I give you...the one, the only…"

Taiyang whisked aside the drape, and the girls' mouths dropped open at the sight of two wristbands displayed atop waist-high pole stands. Taiyang picked one up, pressed a button, and the sisters watched in amazement as it expanded before their eyes into a full-sized gauntlet. He reverted it to wristband form and set it down again, stepping aside.

"I...still don't have a name for it yet," he admitted, dropping his shoulders in embarrassment.

"Wow, Dad," Ruby said, eyes wide as she and Yang approached. "It's your best work yet!"

"I agree," he said, smirking at Yang. "Wanna try them on?"

Yang's mouth went dry as she reached out to rub the sleek surface of one of two gauntlets her father had designed. They were a bold, shiny yellow, with a striking red lining around the edges. She copied her father's demonstration to expand one, then the other. They appeared to have space for ammo of some kind inside of a ring at their centers, but both were empty. Yang turned to see a grinning Taiyang nod toward a workbench, as if reading her mind. She saw two racks of red shells there that looked just the right size for the chambers.

The gauntlets slipped onto her wrists with ease, and were a perfect fit. The ammo chambers popped out to allow her to insert the shells, then clicked back into place with no issue. She couldn't help but wonder how Taiyang knew the right dimensions for these weapons, but she didn't care. She'd received her first ever present from her father; a weapon designed especially for her! Sure, it helped that it was something she could use at close range, but she would've been happy with anything.

She stepped outside and threw a fist into the air, depressing a mechanism near the finger rest. The kickback on the punch was greater than Yang was prepared for, landing her flat on her back. Ruby leaned over her and stuck out her tongue.

"Careful there, big sis!" she teased.

Yang rose to her feet and leaned against the shed, throwing up a thumbs up. She was breathless for a good thirty seconds. When it felt safe to move again, she stumbled back onto the grass. Her ears were still ringing, but aura would soon fix any damage she'd suffered.

She fired off another shot, this time planting her feet well enough that she didn't eat dirt. A bright red bullet screamed through the air, arcing over a line of trees and disappearing into the sky. She shouted with excitement: the rush was amazing! This thing was _so_ her.

Just when she thought this gift couldn't get any more awesome, her dad clicked his tongue at her to get her attention and said, "I added a little something that may seem familiar. Check the underside." Ruby looked from Yang to their father, eager to see whatever he had in store.

Lifting one hand, Yang examined the bottom of the gauntlet and saw a slit that seemed to house another surprise function. She struggled to contain her excitement as she fumbled around to find the trigger that activated this extra feature.

Without warning, a medium length, razor-sharp blade sprang from the hole, its silvery metal gleaming in the sunlight. The blade was similar in length and thickness to her beloved tantō, but she could tell the metal was of a much higher quality and density. Just like that, Yang had seen all she needed to see.

"I know what I'm going to call it," she announced, taking a stance and extending the twin blade on the other gauntlet.

Taiyang raised an eyebrow, awaiting her big revelation. "Oh really? What's that?"

"Ember Celica."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

This chapter was a doozy, and a joy to write. How this emotional journey actually had a happy ending is beyond me! I managed to tie up the loose ends I was worried wouldn't get covered, culminating in something I'm proud to present to the world. Also, this post marks my first ever time officially completing a non-oneshot fanfiction! I am so glad, and still in disbelief, about the fact that it's finally over.

Thank you to everyone who supported me in any way, from the first chapter to the last. If you made it through all 10K+ words of this two-parter drivel, you have my eternal admiration and gratitude! Seriously, how did you manage that? Well, at the very least, you made it to the end and can move on...

Ah, yes. That brings me to the special announcement!

_Drumroll..._

**The AU story will continue in "The Dragon of Patch," Release Date TBA!**

Indeed, the story of this AU version of Yang is not over. Although, I warn you that from here on, you should expect more significant canon divergence. If you aren't a fan of that, feel free to take these 16 chapters as their own self-contained story and pretend it ended here.

Thanks again, everyone!

'Till next time,

_**~Axle~**_


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